Honey red ale- help

[Mdking2]

I brewed a honey red ale that is altered from an Irish red brewers best kit and things went splendidly, until the temperatures in my town went nuts and fluctuated from 82 on Wednesday to 48 a night later. My beer was pretty protected and it kept fermenting, but it made me question: Exactly how sensitive is yeast to temperature shifts? Any source I have read says that 5° can kill it. Is that a bit dramatic or is that accurate?

 

[Hackwood]

Hotter will do more 'damage' than colder. Colder will slow the yeast down if not completely put them to sleep. When warmed back up all should be good.