Is it safe for your health to sleep with a fan?

 Is it safe for your health to sleep with a fan?

In hot weather, a fan is a reliable cooling ally. Have you installed a fan in your bedroom to help you sleep in the heat? Beware, this solution is not a panacea, especially for those with allergies.

Open the windows wide open, regularly pour cold water on your face, get dressed, or sleep naked .... Warm nights force us to rethink our sleeping habits. But in these exhausting conditions for body and soul, restless sleepers can rely on a reliable ally: the fan. It provides users with a quieter and cooler night. It is an effective temporary solution but should be used with caution.

It encourages the spread of allergens

"When it's very hot, as it is now, the fan is interesting to offer a sense of coolness," admits Sylvie Royant-Parola, a Parisian doctor, sleep specialist, and president of the Morphée network, which is dedicated to the treatment of sleep disorders. However, certain uses should be avoided. "It is important to avoid focusing on the face and give priority to the torso and lower body."

Although the device allows air to circulate and cool the room, incorrect use can lead to complications, especially for people with allergies or asthma. "The fan blows a lot of air, which means that pollen and dust mites come into contact with mucous membranes more easily and can cause allergic reactions and colds." The expert urges parents to apply this advice to children who lack the reflex to stop or move the fan.

Other problems associated with using a fan, especially if it is located near the sleeper, are highlighted by The Sleep Advisors, a UK website specializing in sleep-related problems: "The constant blast of air can dry out the skin. [It can also dry out the eyes [if the eyelids are partially open] and cause irritation."

A solution for masking night sounds

Doesn't the hum of your device disturb your sleep? According to Marie-Françoise Vecchierini, a neurologist and psychiatrist who specializes in sleep disorders and works at the Hôtel-Dieu hospital in Paris, this noise can, surprisingly, even be positive. "If you manage to fall asleep, a regular sound of lower volume is less disturbing than sudden fluctuations in sound. It can even mask them. This is what we call white noise."

There are several things to consider before turning the fan blades in your bedroom."But with the heat we have now, there's no real solution, says Sylvie Royant-Parola. Drink water, shower at night, and wet your T-shirt or lake... The fan is not a panacea."