Cool, comfortable sleep or catching cold?
Living in a hot, humid climate like that found in south-east Queensland air conditioning is a necessity, not a luxury. One the questions often asked is ‘can leaving the air conditioning on at night when I’m asleep make me sick?’ The reality is, in our climate the overnight temperatures don’t drop that much overnight. Factor in the high humidity and turning off your air conditioning overnight isn’t an option if you want a good night’s sleep!
Leaving the air conditioning on at night while asleep won’t make you ill as such, but there are some things that you should be aware of:
Your body temperature can get too low
Your core temperature falls overnight as part of your body’s natural rhythm which allows you to tolerate slightly higher temperatures than you would during the day. Adjust your thermostat upwards to compensate for your lower body temperature. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself waking up because you’re too cold. Frustrating to say the least when it’s 25 degrees outside with 90% humidity. Furthermore, adjusting your settings will reduce your electricity bill too.
It can dry you out
If you’re one of these people that like to sleep in a room that wouldn’t be out of place in an Ice Palace all well and good. But did you know that the air pumped into your room is drier than normal? Dry air isn’t usually a problem, but slight changes in ambient temperature and humidity will result in dry skin, mouth and throat. In fact, if you often wake up in the summer with a sore throat for no apparent reason, it’s probably because your air conditioning settings need adjusting and not because you’ve got a summer cold.
The body needs to ‘do its thing’
Sleep is when the body repairs itself, producing hormones that undertake the natural restorative processes your body needs to function efficiently. Having a core temperature that’s too cold reduces the body’s ability to produce the raw materials it requires to boost your immune system and ward off bugs and bacteria that would otherwise make you feel ill.
So, there it is. Having your leaving the air conditioning on at night won’t make you sick. In fact, it’s often the key to a good night’s sleep. Any ill-effect can be completely avoided by simply taking the time to ensure that your settings are adjusted correctly to suit your specific needs. (Again, always consider the outside temperature).
If you have a large house and you’d like to have the air conditioning on or off in each room, consider a ducted system. You’ll be able to turn the air off in rooms that are empty while having it on during the night rooms where you’re sleeping.
For more information on ducted systems, Click here or fill out the contact form and we’ll give you a call.
