With the arrival of the heat waves, the need to sleep cool increases a lot, but is this really good for health? Dr. Isabel Cardoso has decided to clear up this constant question through her social networks with a video in which she clearly and simply explains how sleeping all night with the air conditioning on affects our health, ears and airways. And when it comes to talking about dangers and ways to cool the room, the expert is emphatic: the fan wins the nocturnal battle over the air conditioner.
The hidden danger of air conditioning
Although air conditioning allows us to regulate the exact temperature of the room, prolonged use during long hours at night, when we are sleeping, can end up bringing much more serious problems than a simple cold. According to Dr. Cardoso, the main problem lies in the air quality this device generates: “We breathe cooler air, which tends to be quite dry and it is quite common that the air filters are not particularly clean.” By not cleaning the filters regularly, the device makes the air we breathe recirculated and somewhat dirty, turning it into the perfect place to store dust and even fungi, which can trigger irritations in the throat and nose.
How does air conditioning damage your ears?
One of the most surprising points the expert reveals about this topic is the direct connection between air conditioning and the bothersome tinnitus, i.e., those high-pitched sounds or buzzing that many people experience. All the irritation caused by cold and dry air in the upper airways ends up directly affecting the ear. Dr. Cardoso warns that this can “encourage the Eustachian tube, by causing tubalitis (local irritations), to behave in the middle ear as it happens when we have a cold”.
The use of the fan
To be able to dormir de manera fresca and not die of heat, but protecting our body, the expert offers a very simple trick: use a fan instead. If you suffer from ear problems and need that gentle buzz of the air conditioner to fall asleep, the fan can achieve a similar effect without further aggravating the problem. Moreover, this does not dry out the environment, so it will not cause problems to the airways or to the skin.
