The downsides of sleeping with a fan on when you have allergies

10th August 2022

The downsides of sleeping with a fan on when you have allergies

The UK broke its highest ever temperature record in July, leaving a lot of people fighting the heat. It led to some beautiful days in the sun, but some uncomfortable nights trying to get to sleep. One way people try to beat that nighttime heat is by keeping a fan on, spreading cool air through the room.

But people with allergies might have found this exacerbates their symptoms. What was supposed to be a cool night’s sleep turns into one filled with dry eyes, a dry throat, and a stuffy nose. Why does this happen? And what can you do to stop it?

The downsides of sleeping with a fan on

A fan’s whole purpose is to move air around a room to keep it cool. When there’s a lot of dust or pollen lying around, that is naturally going to get whipped up and moved around the room too. If you have an allergy to either of these, you’re basically going to get them thrown in your face by your fan, setting off a reaction. If you also have the window open, the fan may also pull in even more pollen from outside and circulate that through the room.

This is going to cause those telltale symptoms, such as a runny nose, watery eyes, and an itchy throat. More than that, fans can cause issues even without allergies. The cold air it pushes around can dry out your skin and eyes. And excessive dryness can trigger your body to produce more mucus, leading to congestion. Combine this with allergy symptoms, and you might wake up feeling worse than when you went to sleep.

How to prevent it

The simplest solution is to not sleep with a fan on, but that might make your night worse in other ways. So there are a few ways you can mitigate any issues. Number one is to keep the fan clean. The blades can quickly accumulate a lot of dust, so giving them a wipe daily can stop the build up.

Next, keep your fan at a distance. With how warm it can get, we know you’ll be tempted to have it right at your side. This is only going to send allergens directly at you. Keeping it further away means the allergens can be dispersed. Also, make sure your fan can rotate. This way, it isn’t pointing just at you and can evenly distribute the air. You might also want to invest in an air filter that’s rated specifically for allergies.

It might not solve all your problems, but it should allow you to have a good night’s sleep without feeling too many bad effects. As long as you keep your room clean – and potentially even keep the windows closed during the day – you should be fine. If you ever have any huge concerns, you can always talk to an allergy specialist for the best advice.

Don’t let your allergies bring you down and keep you up at night. Talk to one of our experts to help you live freely. You can register as a new patient here, or simply give up a call on 02031 433 449.

Will sleeping with a fan affect your allergies?

15th July 2020

Will sleeping with a fan affect your allergies?

We’re at the height of summer and, if we’re lucky, we’ll get some glorious weather. The downside? It gets way too hot, especially at night. We all know the feeling – you’re trying to sleep, but no matter how you lie, you feel like you’re on fire. You open the bedroom window only for it to do nothing. So you think of something that might fix that problem: a fan.

But this brings up its own problems if you have allergies. The fan can contribute to your allergies flaring up, meaning you still can’t get to sleep. So why does this happen? And is there anything you can do to stop it?

Why is a fan bad for your allergies?

We all know why fans are great. They circulate air around the room, keeping it cool. But it can also stir up dust and other particles that can set off your allergies. This can happen day or night, but we’re focusing on nighttime for the sake of this article since you’ll be asleep and unable to do anything about the problem.

Even if you don’t have a dust allergy or hay fever, you might have sensitive skin. If you do, the constant stream of cold air can dry it out, irritating the skin. Fans have even been known to trigger asthma symptoms when used for a prolonged period of time.

Does this mean you can never use a fan at night if you have allergies? Not necessarily…

How you can help

If you have an airborne allergy, such as a dust allergy or hay fever, you can reduce the chances of causing a reaction with diligent cleaning. Keep on top of your dusting and don’t be tempted to open the windows in your bedroom. Pollen or dust might come in during the day, stick to your curtains, carpet, or bedding, and get kicked up during the night by the fan. You should also clean the fan blades themselves as they might collect dust and other particles too.

For your skin, make sure to keep it well moisturised. Find a moisturiser or lotion that works for you and use it liberally. You could also consider buying a timer for your plug so the fan turns off automatically, meaning it isn’t running and drying your skin out all night.

We all want to sleep comfortably and you shouldn’t have to suffer because of your allergies. It might be worth talking to your doctor – or even an allergy specialist – about what you can do to help. For now, stay safe and we hope you manage to get a good night’s sleep!

If you have any questions about your allergy, feel free to get in touch with one of our specialists. We have extensive experience dealing with allergies and can pass on some useful advice. You can call us on 02031 433 449.

Why sleeping with a fan on can be dangerous for allergy sufferers

21st August 2019

Why sleeping with a fan on can be dangerous for allergy sufferers

It’s not often we get to bring out the fan, but when the temperature is reaching 30 degrees like it has this year, there’s no better excuse. For the past few years, summer temperatures and the number of heatwaves have been creeping up. In 1976, the UK experienced a heatwave unlike any other with scorching temperatures into the mid-30 degrees. It wasn’t until 2003 another heatwave rivalled its severity, then again in 2006, then 2018, and now 2019. 

Heatwaves like this will only become more frequent and more intense as our climate changes. More people are looking for solutions to the heat in a country where A/C isn’t standard in homes. So they turn to fans, even to sleep. But this can have negative effects, particularly for those with asthma and other allergies.

Why sleeping with the fan on might not be a good idea

As fans blow air around our room, creating a cool breeze, they also spread dust and allergens. This can trigger reactions and cause irritation while you sleep and, as a result, you could lose sleep, which can lead to other health complications, and it may prolong your symptoms. 

To minimise this risk, you could try dusting the fan blades and cleaning your home to remove as much dust and potential allergens as possible. But for those sensitive to allergens in the dust, it may be worth turning the fan off at night, ensuring a good night of rest. 

Fans may cause other problems, including dry skin, so using enough moisturiser is important. Also, you might experience tight, sore muscles from the cold air. 

Despite this, for most people, using a fan is a very, very small health risk and the benefits of being able to stay cool greatly outweigh any threats. However, for those with sensitive asthma and allergies, it might be best to find other options to stay cool at night. 

If your allergies are getting out of control, and you’re struggling to find a way to manage them, get in touch with one of the consultants at The London Allergy and Immunology Centre. We use state-of-the-art treatments to help people get their quality of life back. Call us on 0203 143 3449 to discuss your allergy needs.

Is sleeping with a fan on bad for your health?

7th August 2018

Is sleeping with a fan on bad for your health?

While we may love the summer heat, we also hate it; nobody likes getting into bed at the end of a long day only to feel sweaty, hence the fans we can set up next to our bed. A cool breeze all night? Yes, please! Unfortunately, it’s not all good news; if you struggle with dust allergies, hay fever or asthma, or it’s just a summer cold, then you may want to ditch the fan.

Dust

No matter how clean and tidy you keep your room, there’s always sneaky dust particles or pollen insistent on sticking around. This dust and pollen can attach itself to the fan blades which will circulate the air once switched on. So when you’re sleeping, those irritants are being blown right at your face. You might be okay, but if you find that your eyes are itchy or if you experience any other symptoms, you should probably keep the fan switched off. If you can’t bear the heat, try cleaning the fan blades before you go to sleep.

Dry skin

If you have dry skin, a fan can cause it to worsen as the fan eliminates moisture due to the prolonged cool air. Lotions can help to keep your skin as moisturised as possible, but if you find that it isn’t helping, keep fan usage minimal.

Sinuses

The cold air can dry out your nasal passages which can affect your sinuses and cause excess mucus which is likely to cause a stuffy nose and headaches.

Is it dangerous?

It isn’t dangerous to sleep with a fan on, in fact, it can be beneficial in an infant’s room, according to some studies, as reducing the temperature in their environment can minimise the chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

The fan isn’t going to hurt you; at worst it will just worsen your summer allergies. So while nothing seriously bad can happen to you, whether you keep the fan on at night depends on which you value more: how you sleep or how you feel in the morning.

If you think that you or your child is suffering from dust allergies or hay fever, get in touch with us today or complete our online allergy test to take the first steps to prevent irritation and discomfort.