Indoor Temperature for Heat Stress
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
This trial explores whether the recommended indoor temperature limit of 26°C is safe for young, active adults. Researchers aim to understand how this temperature affects body temperature and heart strain during rest and light exercise. The study will help determine if temperature guidelines need adjustments for this group. Ideal participants are healthy young adults who are not heavily endurance trained or frequently exposed to heat, such as saunas. As an unphased study, this trial allows participants to contribute to important research that could influence future temperature guidelines for young adults.
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but it mentions that any use of or changes in medication that make participation inadvisable will exclude you from the study. It's best to discuss your medications with the study team.
What prior data suggests that this indoor temperature limit is safe for young, habitually active adults?
Research shows that warmer indoor temperatures can sometimes negatively affect health. Many studies have found that higher indoor temperatures can cause discomfort and even health risks. However, the specific limit of 26 °C (about 79 °F) used in this trial is considered comfortable and is not expected to harm young, healthy adults. This trial tests whether this temperature is safe for active young adults. Participants might experience changes like a higher body temperature or faster heart rate during light activity with extra clothing. Researchers will monitor these changes to determine if the temperature is suitable for this group. Overall, the trial aims to ensure safety and comfort at this temperature.12345
Why are researchers excited about this trial?
Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores how indoor temperature settings might help manage heat stress, a condition often addressed with hydration, cooling measures, and physical rest. Unlike traditional methods that rely on external cooling devices or medication, this trial examines the potential of maintaining an indoor temperature limit of 26°C with controlled humidity as a natural and passive approach. By simulating real-life scenarios with and without physical activity and added clothing, researchers hope to uncover insights on optimizing indoor climates to reduce heat stress without relying heavily on other interventions.
What evidence suggests that this trial's indoor temperature limit could be effective for young, habitually active adults?
Research shows that maintaining indoor temperatures at or below 26 °C can help protect older adults sensitive to heat by keeping them comfortable. However, the effects on younger, active adults remain unclear. This trial will compare two scenarios: one where participants experience an indoor temperature upper limit without physical activity and added clothing, and another where they experience the same temperature with physical activity and added clothing. These individuals often stay active and wear heavier clothing, which can increase their heat sensation. It can take up to 6 hours for their body temperature to adjust in hot conditions, potentially causing initial discomfort. Indoor temperatures might impact health more than outdoor heat, so studying these effects in younger people is important. Understanding this can help improve temperature guidelines for better protection.678910
Who Is on the Research Team?
Glen P Kenny, PhD
Principal Investigator
University of Ottawa
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for young, habitually active adults aged 18-29. It's designed to see if a room temperature of 26 °C is safe during heat events when they might not follow standard cool-down advice due to lifestyle choices.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Exposure
Participants are exposed to an indoor temperature of 26°C with varying clothing and activity levels to assess physiological strain
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for any delayed physiological responses or adverse effects after exposure
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Simulated indoor temperature upper limit
Trial Overview
The study tests how a recommended indoor temperature of 26 °C affects body and cardiovascular strain in participants at rest or doing light exercise while wearing different clothing layers.
How Is the Trial Designed?
2
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Participants, dressed in light clothing (t-shirt, shorts and socks), perform seated rest while exposed daylong (8 hours) to an indoor temperature maintained at 26°C and 45% relative humidity (humidex equivalent of 29).
Participants, dressed in light clothing (t-shirt, shorts and socks) and an added clothing layer (sweatshirt and sweatpants), perform light exercise (i.e., stepping, representing activities of daily living, 4-4.5 METS) every hour (with exception of lunch hour) while exposed daylong (8 hours) to an indoor temperature maintained at 26°C and 45% relative humidity (humidex equivalent of 29).
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Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of Ottawa
Lead Sponsor
Citations
Review article Surviving indoor heat stress in United States ...
The review illuminates the effects of overheating on thermal comfort, health, and socio-economic aspects within the built environment.
Indoor overheating: A review of vulnerabilities, causes, and ...
Recent day-long heat simulation studies have shown that it can take up to 6 hours for thermal equilibrium to be reflected in stable core body temperatures in ...
Analysis of the impact of indoor thermal comfort data ...
This study analyzed the impact of data characteristics on dataset qualityfrom three perspectives: sample size, data distribution, and data range.
Critical insights into thermal comfort optimization and heat ...
This review paper critically investigates the optimization of thermal comfort and the development of heat-resilient indoor environments.
PMC - PubMed Central - NIH
Based on their findings, the authors surmised that indoor temperature may be a stronger predictor of health problems than outdoor temperature. Sakka et al. [32] ...
Review Residential indoor temperatures and health
Most studies found warmer indoor temperatures were linked to adverse health, well-being, or thermal comfort outcomes.
Report of the systematic review on the effect of indoor heat on ...
This report assesses the effects of indoor temperatures above 24°C on health. We have conducted a systematic review of this topic to support the development ...
Indoor overheating: A review of vulnerabilities, causes, and ...
Supported by the fact that most heat-related fatalities occur in the home, indoor overheating is a potentially fatal health hazard [Citation26–28] that requires ...
Surviving indoor heat stress in United States
Average maximum indoor temperature was 13.8 °C higher than average maximum outdoor temperature. Hourly indoor temperature measurements, outdoor ...
A physiological approach for assessing human survivability ...
Most studies projecting human survivability limits to extreme heat with climate change use a 35 °C wet-bulb temperature (Tw) threshold ...
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