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Lifestyle

19th Jul 2021

Sleeping with a fan on could be hazardous to your health

Kieran Galpin

Will you still use it?

Do fans work? Who knows. Will we all continue to sit in front of them and pray for rain? Of course! Some fans hit the spot just right, and others are more like decorative pieces because they couldn’t blow sawdust off a table. Regardless, every year as the heat increases, our need for violent cool air blown in our faces also increases. And though the reality is usually a warm and sticky breeze against your skin, it sure is better than waving your hand over your face like a maniac.

But according to Sleep Advisor, our fans are actually a health risk, and no, that is not because of the people that get various body parts caught in the blades. According to the sleep experts, our fans have a nasty habit of pushing pollen and dust around the room, which can be quite a problem if you suffer from asthma or hayfever.

They also say that having air constantly blown at you can dry out skin, eyes, and even the inside of your mouths. Having air blown in your face can also cause sinus irritation, which in turn could lead to an infection.

But it doesn’t stop there, as you may wake up feeling very sore. The constant stream of air can cause muscles to become tense, and there is nothing worse than waking up feeling like you’ve been hit by a car. Actually, perhaps getting hit by an actual car is significantly worse.

Sleep Advisor has some nifty tricks to make your own air conditioner at home for those of you not wanting to risk using a fan:

  1. Get a few bottles of water, about four to six.
  2. Add two to three tablespoons of salt to each bottle.
  3. Put the bottles in the freezer.
  4. When you’re ready for bed, put the frozen bottles on a tray. The tray is there to collect condensation and prevent a watery, leaky mess.
  5. Put the tray of frozen bottles in front of your fan.
  6. Turn it on. As the air blows by the frozen water, you’ll feel a cool breeze.