Is Sleeping With a Fan On a Good Idea? (2 of 3)

Don’t Aim The Fan at Your Face

The biggest mistake is positioning a fan so that it blasts your face for eight straight hours. Constant airflow can speed up moisture loss from the eyes, nose, mouth, and throat. That’s why some people wake up with gritty or watery eyes, a scratchy throat, a dry mouth, or what feels suspiciously like the beginning of a cold.

Without enough moisture, your nose won’t be able to trap particles and move mucus effectively. So when it gets too dry up there, mucus can thicken, and the body will produce even more of it, resulting in a stuffy nose, coughing, sinus pressure, or headaches.

Direct airflow can be particularly irritating for anyone who already has dry eye, eczema, psoriasis, chronic sinus issues, or other conditions made worse by dryness.

Fans May Stir Up Allergens

The air in your room is filled with all sorts of particles like dust, pollen, mold, dander, and dust mite debris, and the fan will keep recirculating that nasty stuff until it lands on you. The blades and grille may also collect an impressive layer of dust, which is then dislodged bit by bit whenever the fan starts spinning, causing your allergies to flare up.

This doesn’t mean people with allergies have to sell their fans and just suffer through the summer. Just don’t be lazy and clean the room and the fan’s blades and grille at least once a week. Another way to mitigate this issue is to use a properly sized HEPA air purifier.