FOUR hidden health risks from using an electric fan to keep cool at night

You try in vain to keep a cool head on those long summer nights… but it always ends the same way. Hours of blistering misery, begging to fall asleep.

For those without air conditioning, the simple electric fan can help ease some of the pain. But your clucking, whooshing redemption comes with its own problems.

So much so that a sleep expert has urged caution for anyone rushing to buy a fan in hopes of catching some necessary Zs.

Martin Seeley, the CEO of MattressNextDay says that while this cooling device can be an effective way to regulate temperature, there are health drawbacks, The express reports.

So, here are the four health problems that a fan in your bedroom can cause…

Allergens and asthma

While a fan spinning cold air sounds nice, it also spreads allergens around your room.

It can also circulate dust mites, spores and pollen, causing reactions.

And it can also mean bad news for people with asthma.

Mr Seeley says: ‘So if you find yourself experiencing excessive sneezing, watery eyes, runny nose, itchy throat and even difficulty breathing, make sure there is no dust on your electric fan blades.

“If you’ve got the budget, it’s worth upgrading to a better fan that can purify the air by reducing the pollen particles and dust mites in the room.”

If you do have a fan, it’s important to clean it regularly, says the expert.

Dry eyes and irritation

While the cooling devices can be an effective way to regulate your temperature at night, there are some health drawbacks (File image)

Excessive air movement dries out your eyes.

Therefore, a fan for those who wear contact lenses will increase the likelihood of dry eyes and irritation.

But you can avoid this by reducing the speed of the oscillating fan.

Accumulation

The excess wind created by an electric fan can dry out your nose and throat.

And this can cause your body to produce more mucus to stay hydrated.

The expert says, “This can cause many side effects, including headaches, nasal congestion, and even sinus headaches.”

To alleviate this, simply increase your water intake to prevent this from happening.

The expert also recommends drinking at least two liters of water per day.

Stiff neck and sore muscles

If you usually wake up after your beauty sleep with sore or swollen muscles, Mr. Seeley recommends that you avoid directing the electric fan towards you at night.

He explains that this is because concentrated cool air “can tense and cramp your muscles,” which will make you feel even more pain.

The expert continued, “You may even notice that you’ve gotten a stiff neck since using an electric fan, so don’t use it for a few nights to see if you see a difference.”