New research has found that lowering the thermostat to the mid 60s can help aid in weight loss. For the study, researchers at the Maastricht University Medical Center studied 51 men over 10 days. The researchers kept the men in a room set to 62 degrees, and found that the exposure to the cooler temperatures helped to increase the production of brown fat, which aids in weight loss.
When the body is exposed to lower temperatures, it causes the shivers. Alternatively, the body can burn it’s on brown fat as a source of heat to keep warm, stopping the shivers and losing weight in the process.
A Japanese study took this theory a step further, subjecting men to a six week study. Initially, men were put in a room set at 62 degrees for two hours every day. As the study progressed, the temperature was lowered to 59 degrees. Researchers found that the subjects didn’t shiver as much as the study progressed, and the subjects brown fat levels increased.
Increasing brown fat to combat cold temperatures is a healthy way to burn off dangerous white fat, which is normally associated with obesity and other health problems.
Researchers posit that keeping the thermostat lower will help the body to become accustomed to colder temperatures, helping to burn brown fat. But researchers stress that hanging out in colder temperatures is by no means a substitution for eating well and exercising. But if used in conjunction with other weight loss techniques, the cold can help you to shed pounds.
Evan Hopkins is a 24 year old writer operating out of Atlanta, GA. When he isn’t writing, he enjoys reading books, drinking coffee, and folk music.