The bedroom mistakes that could leave you too cold this autumn and how to fix them today

Despite experiencing one of, if not the hottest, summers on record here in the UK, we can now officially confirm that autumn has arrived and temperatures are starting to drop. And while feeling chilly might still seem like a distant memory, in true British fashion, we’ll all be reaching for our jumpers and electric blankets soon enough.

When the colder weather does arrive, you may find your home is not retaining heat as effectively as it could, or as well as it once did. Not sure why? Some everyday habits and decorating decisions, particularly in the bedroom, could be affecting your home’s temperature and making it feel cold even when the heating is on.

Get ahead of the chill by breaking these habits now. These are the bedroom mistakes that could leave you too cold this autumn, and how to fix them today.

Placing your bed against an external wall

External walls and windows can feel noticeably colder, particularly overnight when temperatures drop. If your bed is pressed against one, the cold surface can make the room feel chillier and increase the sensation of draughts and even lead damp spots on your wall. None of which sounds like a good night's sleep to me.

Where possible, move the bed on to an internal wall, leaving a small gap behind it for air to circulate. If that is not practical, you can still improve insulation with a quality headboard and make sure to check the window for draughts and address the accordingly.

Overlooking the floor

Cold air and draughts often enter around floorboards, skirting boards and gaps beneath doors. Hard flooring can also make a bedroom feel much colder than a carpeted room, particularly first thing in the morning.

I’m not suggesting you go through the long and incredibly expensive process of recarpeting your home, although if cold is something you're worried about, it could be something to consider. Simply add a rug beside the bed or across the coldest section of floor, and use a draught excluder where necessary. Check that furniture is not hiding obvious gaps around skirting boards too while you’re at it.

Waiting too long to swap your duvet

There is often a temptation to keep using your lightweight summer duvet for as long as possible, especially when autumn starts with a few mild humid days. But once temperatures begin to drop overnight, it may no longer be providing enough warmth, leaving you waking up cold or reaching for extra blankets in the early hours of the morning.

That said, immediately replacing it with the thickest duvet you own is not necessarily the answer either. A duvet that is too warm can cause you to overheat, sweat and then feel cold again once that moisture cools down. Like a vicious irregular temperature cycle. It is all about finding the right tog for your bedroom and how warm you naturally feel at night.

Swap to a medium or higher-tog duvet when your bedroom starts feeling consistently chilly, rather than waiting until you are already shivering beneath the covers. If the temperature is changeable, layer a blanket over a lighter duvet so you can easily remove it on milder nights. A duvet with a more breathable filling may also help if you tend to overheat while sleeping.

Blocking the radiator with furniture or curtains

Your radiator can only do its job properly if the heat it produces has space to circulate. But if it is hidden behind a bed, chest of drawers or long curtains, that warmth can become trapped rather than moving around the room. You may then find yourself turning the heating up, without making the bedroom feel any warmer.

This is particularly easy to overlook in a bedroom, where furniture is often pushed against the radiator to make the most of the available floor space. Long curtains can also fall directly over it, directing heat towards the window instead of into the room.

Keep the area around your radiator as clear as possible, particularly the space directly in front of it. Make sure curtains finish above the radiator, or tuck them behind it when they are closed. Avoid drying clothes over it, too, as this can reduce its efficiency while adding extra moisture to the room.

Closing the curtains and blinds at the wrong time

Curtains are useful for keeping warmth in, but closing them too early can stop your bedroom from benefitting from any natural heat. During autumn, even a small amount of sunlight can help warm the room, particularly if the curtains are thick or heavily lined.

Leaving them open after the sun has gone down, however, can have the opposite effect. Windows are one of the main places where heat escapes, so an uncovered window can make the room feel colder as the evening progresses. Luckily, there is an effective compromise.

Keep your curtains open during daylight hours to make the most of any available sunlight, then close them as soon as the light starts to fade and temperatures drop. Thermal or lined curtains can provide an extra layer between your room and the window, helping to reduce heat loss overnight. Make sure they do not cover the radiator, though, or they could trap the heat behind them.

Airing the bedroom for too long

This is a common mistake in autumn and winter months. While the instinct to open windows in order to freshen air and reduce mould or condensation causing moist air is a good one, sometimes we can take it too far.

Keeping it open all day can chill the walls, furniture and bedding, meaning the room takes much longer to warm up again. It can also make your heating work harder, while allowing more moisture to settle on cold surfaces.

Open the window fully for a short burst in the morning, rather than leaving it slightly open all day. Close it once the stale air and any condensation have cleared, then heat the room as normal. If the room still feels damp, check that your extractor fans and ventilation are working properly, rather than relying on an open window alone. You can check out the house burping method for more details on how to effectively air your home without loosing the heat.

Making the bed immediately after getting up

This one might sound random. How could your tidiness possibly affect the temperature of your bedroom? But it is actually based on sound logic. Your bedding absorbs moisture from your body overnight, and pulling the duvet straight back into place traps it against the sheets and mattress.

Over time, this can leave your bed feeling cold and clammy rather than warm and inviting by bedtime. It can also create a more humid environment, particularly in a poorly ventilated room.

Fold the duvet back and leave the sheets exposed while you get ready in the morning. Open the window briefly, if appropriate, to help any moisture escape, then make the bed once the bedding has had time to air. Just remember to close the window afterwards so you are not leaving the room unnecessarily cold, and do make your bed before you leave – that's just being a grownup.

Ignoring small draughts around the window and door

A bedroom can feel cold because warm air is escaping through small gaps, rather than because the heating is not high enough. Window frames, doors, skirting boards and the gap beneath the door are all common culprits, particularly in older homes.

If you are not sure whether you have a draught, slowly run the back of your hand around the edges of the window and door, particularly along the frame and beneath the door. You should be able to feel a noticeable stream of cooler air around any gaps. A strip of lightweight tissue paper will also flutter or move if air is coming through.

Use removable draught-proofing strips around windows and doors, and add a draught excluder beneath the bedroom door where needed. Seal visible gaps around frames with suitable sealant, but avoid blocking trickle vents or other essential ventilation points, as these help prevent condensation and mould.