Why sleeping with a fan on could do more harm than good

sleeping fan hot summer night
Sleeping with a fan on at night could leave you overly dehydrated (Credit: Getty)
(Image credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Sorry to be the bearers of bad news, but it turns out that sleeping with a fan on could actually be bad for your health.

Sleeping with a fan on all night you could be at risk of sinus problems, exacerbated allergies and dehydration, among other health issues.

This is because as the fan circulates it dries the air out and when you breathe in that dry air it can cause your nasal passages to produce excess mucus and become blocked up.

And according to experts it can even make your hay fever symptoms worse.

"As a fan moves air around the room, it causes flurries of dust and pollen to make their way into your sinuses," says expert Mark Reddick, known as The Sleep Advisor.

"If you’re prone to allergies, asthma, and hay fever, this could stir up a whole lot of trouble."

To combat this, Mark suggests making sure that you dust off your fan before using it.

And for all of those who sleep with eyes and mouths open, it’s not good news either. With dry air going into your mouth you could wake up in the night feeling seriously dehydrated, and with it blowing into your eyes all night say hello to itchy, dry, tired eyes.

Possibly the worse offence of this beloved summer sleeping companion is that it throws the term beauty sleep out of the window, because with dry air blowing onto your face all night, you definitely won’t wake up looking dewy and hydrated (more like one of the Hocus Pocus witches).

But, there are lots of other ways you can reduce the heat in your room to keep your cool for a better night's sleep.

Sleeping with a fan on at night could leave you overly dehydrated (Credit: Getty)
(Image credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

And, there are a couple of quick fixes you can try to reduce all of these negative effects of having a fan in your room.

Pop a bowl of water on top of your radiator to create steam, which will add humidity to the air. Or add a few plants to your bedroom to improve the quality of the air.

You could also try leaving your fan on for an hour before you tuck yourself in, but face it towards an open window. Hear us out. This would siphon all of the hot air from the room and blow outside, leaving your room cooler. Trust us – it has air-conditioning-like results.

Or if you want to make a solid investment that will last you throughout each summer, get hold of a humidifier to add some moisture to the air or a Dyson fan, which purifies the air while keeping you cool.

Aleesha Badkar
Lifestyle Writer

Aleesha Badkar is a lifestyle writer who specialises in health, beauty - and the royals. After completing her MA in Magazine Journalism at the City, the University of London in 2017, she interned at Women’s Health, Stylist, and Harper’s Bazaar, creating features and news pieces on health, beauty, and fitness, wellbeing, and food. She loves to practice what she preaches in her everyday life with copious amounts of herbal tea, Pilates, and hyaluronic acid.