With the sizzling summer months almost upon us, it’s almost time to keep the air conditioner running all day and all night. But have you ever wondered whether it is safe to sleep with your AC on during the night?
While air conditioning clearly brings many perks, like purifying the air in your home, spending time in well air-conditioned rooms every day and every night doesn’t seem healthy. Well, is it safe?
No matter what kind of AC-related doubts you may have, don’t hesitate to rely on the best Scottsdale air conditioning repair to give you all the answers and make sure your AC is always in pristine condition for your maximum enjoyment. Keep reading to find out whether you should sleep with your AC on!
Is it bad to sleep with AC on?
In short, scientists and experts seem to agree that leaving your AC on during the night is pretty safe. What’s more, some actually recommend it since the optimal temperature for sleeping seems to be on the cooler end of the spectrum.
However, there’s a number of things you should keep in mind if you want to ensure a good night’s sleep with your AC running. In order to help yourself sleep well without compromising your health, make sure you do the following:
- Choose the right temperature: the optimal temperature for sleeping according to the National Sleep Foundation is anywhere between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Clean the filters regularly: to ensure your AC unit doesn’t return dust and microbes into your room, make sure your filters are not dirty.
- Direct the airflow upwards: it’s not a good idea to sleep with cold air blowing directly on you unless you want to risk getting a cold or waking up all sore.
- Use a timer: before you go to sleep, set your desired temperature and program the AC to switch off during the night since at that point your body will have already cooled down enough for you to sleep well.
Does air conditioning make you sleepy?
The reason why experts recommend sleeping in cooler temperatures is that lowering the thermostat setting can make you drowsy and help you sleep better. But why does this happen?
As you’ve probably noticed, falling asleep in high temperatures is near impossible. This is because your body temperature needs to drop a couple of degrees In order for you to fall asleep. Going to sleep in a cooler room enables your body to cool down faster and makes it easier for you to drift off.
Can I leave my air conditioner on all night?
While we’ve established that falling asleep with the AC on can help you sleep well, leaving it on all night might actually be harmful to your health and sleeping cycle. Here are some of the reasons why:
- Your body temperature can drop too low: while lower temperatures will make it easier to drift off to sleep, setting the thermostat too low for too long can negatively affect your immune system.
- It can reduce hormone production: sleeping in temperatures that are too cold can hinder your body’s ability to produce some important hormones necessary for good health.
- The noise might disrupt your sleep: if your AC is old or not properly maintained, it can produce loud sounds while working which might keep you awake or lower the quality of your sleep without you realizing.
- It can leave you dehydrated: sleeping with the AC on for too long can dry out your skin, mouth, throat and other parts of your body since it not only cools down the air but dehumidifies it as well.
Depend on the leading Scottsdale air conditioning repair
When you live in the Greater Phoenix Area, it can be extremely difficult to resist the temptation to keep your air conditioner on all night. Why would you risk tossing and turning in sweat when you can just switch on your trusted AC and sleep like a baby?
The only way to make sure your air conditioner is nothing but beneficial for your health is to keep your unit’s performance optimal with proper maintenance. That’s why Hughes Air Heating & Cooling is here to take care of any AC problems you might be dealing with and tell you all about how the AC works in your home.
How did the air conditioner get its name? How can you know whether your AC needs repair? Why won’t my AC turn on? Reach out to us and get all the answers today!