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

What About That Stiff Neck?

When cool air stays concentrated on a specific body part for hours, it can cause muscle tension. If you stay in the same position all night, you may wake up sore or stiff.

This painful outcome is even more likely when the fan is blasting at you from a very close range. Always remember that your fan probably comes with an oscillation function, and if it doesn’t, go buy one.

The Best Way to Position Your Fan

When it comes to perfect positioning, place the fan 3-5 feet from the bed and direct it across the room, towards a wall, or slightly upward. Remember that oscillation setting? Use it to keep the breeze moving!

When the air outside is cooler than the air indoors, another useful trick is to place the fan a couple of feet from an open window and aim it outside. It sounds wrong, but it works and helps push warm air out while drawing cooler air in through another open window or door. It works best at night and is far less helpful when it’s scorching hot outside.

A timer is another good option. Running the fan for the first one to three hours may cool you down enough to fall asleep without exposing your face to moving air all night. And if your room needs more humidity, a cool-mist humidifier will do the job, provided it is cleaned regularly.

So, ultimately, sleeping with a fan on can be a very good idea. Just keep it clean, give it some space, and let it circulate the air rather than blasting your face until sunrise.