A pleasant 7 to 8 hours of beauty sleep is desired by us all. But what happens when your sleep is interrupted every night, and you wake up all cranky and tired? Your whole day turns into a mess! One of the big fat reasons behind your sleep quality is the use of ceiling or stationary fans while sleeping.
While many may argue that you should switch off your fan while sleeping, some may actually debate it to be the root of a sound sleep. Here’s our take on this all-time persistent question: Is sleeping with a fan on bad for you?
Let’s get started!
Perks of Sleeping with a Fan on
The cheapest and effective way to keep yourself cool and breezy is with a fan spinning over your head or beside you. We cannot disregard the many positive effects of a fan when turned on during bedtime. So why not dig into it a little deeper?
Cool and Comfy Sleep
Many amongst us have trouble sleeping when the heat is unbearable, especially during the scorching summer days. After a day full of heat and sweat, sleeping with your fan switched on can actually keep your body temperature low and avert you from sweating all night and waking up with a cold.
Good Air Circulation
Proper air circulation can stop you from feeling claustrophobic in a small enclosed space. In such cases, ceiling fans and air circulator fans can be a great means to maintain constant airflow between the inside and the outside environment, even when you’re sleeping. Additionally, it also allows your lungs to breathe better.
Besides, air circulation is immensely important to keep the room fresh and prevent any sort of odor from making your room stink. Who doesn’t want a pleasant smelling room while sleeping?
White Noise for Your Sleep Time
Every now and then, your noisy neighbors could keep you up all night with their door slamming and weekend parties while you decide to have a peaceful Saturday night. Let’s not forget about dogs barking or sirens disrupting your sleep too. In such hard days, sleeping with your fan circulating at night could really help!
Confused how a fan can do so? The blades of the fan can cause air friction and minimize all these outside noises, ensuring a heavy and sound sleep for you. Besides, some of us have a hard time sleeping in complete silence. Thus, the slight sound of a moving fan can be an easy fix.
Lower Risks of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
According to recent studies, sleeping with fans on was proven to reduce risks of “Sudden Infant Death Syndrome” or SIDS by 72%. Much more reduction in the risk was seen among children when fans were used in warmer rooms compared to colder rooms.
Therefore, it’s definitely safe to use a fan to save your young ones from the danger of SIDS!
Drawbacks of Sleeping with a Fan on
Even though sleeping with your fan switched on can be very useful in many cases, some people might face severe issues due to it. Make sure to know some of these downsides so you can stay safe and healthy!
Dehydration
People who have sensitive skin that easily dries out might have to second guess their decisions in this case. Fans, when running on full speed, could easily dry out the skin more and cause uneasiness. A quick fix to this setback can be applying a few layers of body lotion or butter before bed to retain the moisture in your skin.
Moreover, some people have the tendency to experience dry eyes due to pre-existing optical problems. These symptoms can worsen and become a threat to their vision if they use fans on full swing.
If you have any of these difficulties, then it’s better to opt for no fan at all. But in case you cannot do so, follow this little method to mark out the complexities – keep a glass full of water or an iced bottle with a tray underneath to make certain of enough moisture in the air while sleeping with a fan on. That should do the trick!
Another solution to dry skin problems for using a fan is to use a misting fan because this type of fan ensures moisture in the room by spraying constant water along with air.
Allergic Reactions
Although fans help in maintaining the circulation of fresh air, it can often turn out to be the core reason for your health issues.
The blades of the fan have dust deposits on them if they are not cleaned on a regular basis. And when it’s turned on, the same dust particles start circulating around the room, causing allergic reactions for those with a dust allergy.
Likewise, pollens and spores from the outside can get into your room due to airflow and again cause allergic responses. Patients with asthma conditions are likely to be more affected by these pollens and dust, resulting in a sudden asthma attack.
A simple way to fight this back is to keep the curtains closed and keep the fan blades dirt-free along with the other objects in your room from time to time.
Other Health Concerns
Having a fan directly on top of you or right beside you could cause your muscles to contract and become stiff. As a result, it causes pain and difficulty in movement of muscles when you wake up. What’s more, is that the extreme air movement can cause your body to create more mucus and cause headaches.
Individuals who sleep with their mouth open can face even more complexities. The burst of airflow due to fans can result in dried mouth and throat among them. This, in turn, could worsen the condition of people dealing with sinus complications. Not the best ways to start your morning, right?
Now, if you suffer from any of these health issues but still settle on keeping the fan on, it’s better to lower the speed of your fan. You could also try placing a thin cloth on top of your mosquito net to stay away from the direct airflow of the fan.
Conclusion
Since we are at the end of our discussion, it must be pretty clear on whether you should really think of turning on your fan while sleeping or not. Amidst endless debates, we tried coming up with some easy solutions to your health problems due to a moving fan. Hence, now it’s your time to decide!
