Amid the heat wave that hit several Brazilian states in recent days, many citizens were forced to use fans or air conditioning to cope with hot nights’ sleep.
Many believe, however, that such equipment cannot be used for sleeping, as it can cause harm or even cause illness.
To find out if these hypotheses are true, we looked for a pulmonologist, dr. Paulo Roberto Gomes by Presidente Prudente, in São Paulo, who spoke about when use is recommended and when it is not.
Heated, filtered and humidified
According to the expert, the use of fans or air conditioning should be restricted, since the air we breathe must be heated, filtered and humidified.
“Air conditioning produces exactly the opposite: drying out the ambient air, cooling it and, very often, only renewing up to 10% of the air. Therefore, dirty air due to lack of rain can be harmful to the respiratory tract,” he explains.
Speaking of dirt, the pulmonologist informs that fans can contribute to spreading dust and dust present in the ambient air in which we breathe. In other words, both can be harmful to your health.
Can you sleep with them on?
When sleeping with the devices on, there is a risk of cooling the airways, which can cause two types of problems:
- Inflammatory
In allergic, asthmatic, bronchial, ephysematous and rhinitis patients with bronchospasm attacks, i.e., coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, tiredness and expectoration problems.
- Infectious – viral or bacterial
In this case, there is a risk of flu, colds, laryngitis, tonsillitis, ear infections (otitis), bronchitis and even pneumonia.
The expert states that the ideal is to use the equipment rationally, and warns of the risk of using humidifiers and air conditioning simultaneously.
“We should not turn on the air in the presence of humidifiers, as the air can become very cold and, with high humidity, it can produce a sawdust inside the environment, which can cause more harm to the respiratory tract than good”, he concludes.
How to use it correctly?
According to the pulmonologist, there are ways to use equipment without being impacted by its negative effects, or even minimizing risks.
- Use air conditioning at temperatures between 23ºC and 25ºC
- Keep the space minimally open, aiming to exchange air between different environments
- Keep the air humidified to avoid drying out the airways
- Use humidifiers up to four hours before bed, and only then turn on the air conditioning
- Constantly sanitize fans and air conditioning to avoid the risk of infections and allergies
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m Robert Neff, a professional writer and editor. I specialize in the entertainment section, providing up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in film, television and music. My work has been featured on World Stock Market and other prominent publications.
