Circulating air from fans can dry out the mouth, nose, and throat, leading to excess mucus production.
Turning on a bedside fan at night helps keep you cool while you sleep, circulates the air, and reduces stuffiness. However, it can be detrimental to many people, such as those with allergies or who are sensitive to surrounding noise. Here are the harmful effects.
Allergic reaction
Fans move air around the room, creating dust mites. People with allergies or asthma may experience worsened symptoms when sleeping with a fan on overnight.
Dry air
The constant flow of air blowing on the body can cause dry skin. Some people also sleep with their mouths open, which can cause dry mouth and throat. People who sleep with their eyes half-open may also experience itchy, dry eyes upon waking.
Fans can spread dust and allergens. Photo: Freepik
Sinus stimulation
Airflow also tends to dry out your nasal passages, which can affect your sinuses. If your dry mouth is severe, it can cause your body to produce more mucus to try to compensate. You can then be prone to congestion, stuffy nose, and sinus headaches.
Add noise
Some people may find the sound of a fan annoying and distracting. A 2014 study from the Barzilai Medical Center in Israel found that noise levels as low as 33-48 dB can have a noticeable impact on sleep. Meanwhile, some cheap or poorly designed air conditioners are louder, around 50-60 dB.
Scientists theorize that environmental noise at night can easily affect hearing and lead to insomnia. This causes daytime sleepiness and fatigue, irritability, mood swings, and reduced health and cognitive performance.
In addition to the above risks, the habit of sleeping with a fan on all night can also lead to muscle pain. The reason is that cold air circulating near the body can cause muscle contraction and make the muscles tense and cramp.
To reduce the side effects of sleeping with a fan, everyone should keep their house clean and clean regularly to remove dust on the fan blades. Use an air purifier with a HEPA filter to limit the spread of dust mites, pet hair and other allergens. In addition, you can equip a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture in the air.
When sleeping with a fan, set the timer to turn off after 1-2 hours. This will help keep the room cool while you sleep, but prevent dry air from circulating throughout the night, reducing the risk of drying out your skin, eyes, and sinuses. Avoid placing the fan in one place or too close to your body as this can cause the wind to come into direct contact with your body. Instead, place the fan 1 meter away from your bed and set it to oscillation.
Huyen My (According to GoodDrX, Sleep Foundation )
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