The air conditioning system has become a staple in a lot of people’s homes currently. Formerly, viewed as a lavish product air con systems have subject to several myths on how to save electricity bills and potential health issues like a fever. Regardless of these that have been connected to AC units, they revamped the comfortable level of your stores, offices, homes, and several places especially during those hot season and also the cold periods.
This is because air conditioner essentials work by altering the areas of air mainly the temp and moisture in a given room. This is done to give comfortable conditions to the room by offering air-conditioned to the liking of the occupants or as the ecological conditions call for.
Air conditioner systems normally have the feature to cool or heat air accordingly, cleaning and ventilation and humidifying and dehumidifying the air. But, is aircon good for fever? If i have a fever, can sleep in aircon room? Does air conditioning make a fever worse? Or does ac help with fever?
The controversy behind health issues and air conditioner
Air cons basic feature is the distribution of conditioned air all through a given area. This is normally done in a confined room as often you’re advised to shut doors and windows to preserve energy. This has hence been connected to the allocation of catching respiration infections at times in huge masses.
An air conditioner can be the big source of allergic reactions as it assists to allocate dirt and dust-ridden air that times might also have fungus in it.
You can achieve a rapid change in terms of temp and moisture via air conditioner which in a few cases it has been seen to have several effects on the respiratory systems. It has also been spotted out as a factor in the reason of throat irritation.
Air Con has a drying effect on the mucus systems also the skin due to the moisture level changes. These following situations that have been connected to the air conditioner can be highly discouraging and might you make 1 steer away from using them.
Professionals in the field have connected the respiratory issues caused by the air conditioner are all reasoned by the abusively low temp set. The spread of health issues in a few cases was linked to wrong maintenance of the system which reasoned to wrong ventilation of giving area therefore the spread. The dry skin problem is also because of low moisture level settings on the unit.
To avoid all these professionals recommend that you never let the temp setting in a three-degree range of 21-25 and never let it below to 21 to prevent these kinds of issues. You’d also forever ventilate the space on a regular bases to prevent the spread of airborne issues in the area. You’d also not undertake DIY tasks when it comes to the installation and repair of the unit but look for the help of an expert team.
Moisture levels on the air conditioner on the unit should be maintained at about 60-70 percent to avoid dry skin issues.
So, what about when you’re suffering from fever? Several myths also about this not to entering a room where AC is installed, AC is not good for the high-temperature body, etc, but my question is:
Is AC good for fever?
Can i use aircon when i have fever? The clear cut answer is yes! Here is why Air conditioning good for fever:
It’ll help you to calm down
When a few people have fevers they become tired and you can see them moving up/down. This is because they’re not comfortable in their bodies and they don’t know what to do. They move down and up in the hope that they can obtain some kind of relief but that rarely occurs. With an AC, your body doesn’t have to suffer much from the fever effects.
The AC will help you in relaxation since your body will feel way better due to the cooling air effect that AC will provide. You’d make sure that during whole this you drink water as much as possible. You must contain your body dehydrated since the fever makes your body in loss of a lot of humidity.
You can cool your body
Why AC is great for fever is because you can cool your body. In a country like Singapore where the weather can be very humid and hot, if you have a fever it might feel even worse. You’ll feel as if your complete body is burning and the wet environment is making in even horrible for you.
This is particularly true for all who’ve not lived here for long period and they’re not used to weather. If you’re an AC and are experiencing a temperature you don’t have to worry a lot. The air conditioner will help cool your body down and this’ll decrease the intensity of temperature so that you don’t feel as if you’re burning up.
You can get some rest
If you’ve tried sleeping while suffering from temperature then you know how much of a job it can be. This might not let you rest properly each time you lay in bed you find the bet damp because all the sweating body is doing. To prevent this you have to turn on the AC. When you have a fever you’re never certain about what your body needs.
When you sleep you feel too warm, when you get out you feel very much cold. With an AC you can set this comfortably. If you’re relaxing and you feel that your body is burning you can switch AC on. This’ll help cool down the fever and the room will achieve a favorable temperature where you can sleep without any issue showing that AC is fine for fever.
You can dress in comfortable dresses
When you’ve temperature you’d not wear clothes that are too thick or thin. If you do they might be extremely uncomfortable and you’ll find yourself wearing and removing the clothes from time to time. Put on clothes that you feel cool in and this makes several people who’ve fever better. An Air conditioner will make it easily possible for you to wear soothing clothes since it can manage the temperature up to the best point where your body will now feel great.
Regular cleaning of air conditioner is healthy
When you have an expert taking care of your AC unit then can complete knowing that you’re safe. The temperature will escalate when the body is in touch with dirt and dust that can be usually found in our rooms. If you the expert does usual AC maintenance it’ll be clear from dirt and dust that can formulate your health worse.
Once the AC is dirt free your breathing process in the extremely fresh air and fever will eventually down since the air is clean. The AC servicing will also make sure that your unit is always working and you’ll not be inconvenienced any time you’ve temperature.
Does air conditioning make a fever worse?
No, an air conditioner does not make the fever worse. If you have a fever and feel comfortable in the AC, then you can surely turn it on.
When you have a fever, your body temperature is very high. The worst thing you can do is to sit in an extremely warm area or take layers of blankets to further increase your body temperature. It can be very dangerous.
Want to know why? Well, fever starts at 100.4℉. If it goes further high and reaches 104℉ then your body starts getting exhausted, weak, and malfunctions. If it goes above 105℉ or 106℉ then you can go unconscious and suffer from brain damage, organ damage, and even death. Therefore, you need to keep your body cool.
An air conditioner will help your body to stay cool. It may help reduce the fever and keep you comfortable. This way you will be able to bear the pain of fever.
However, you can feel uncomfortable due to AC at the same time. It’s because when your body temperature is going up and you sit in a cold air-conditioned room then you may experience chills and colds that can be extremely uncomfortable.
Therefore, the choice is yours. If an air conditioner is helping you feel better during a fever, then you can turn it on. If the air conditioner is making you uncomfortable then you can avoid using it.
Does ac help reduce fever?
AC can help reduce fever but only temporarily.
When you have a fever then your body is extremely hot and warm. So, when you will sit in a cold air-conditioned room then the heat from your body will start going outwards due to convection. This will provide you temporary relief and may help you reduce fever.
However, you may get a fever again after a short time. Why? It’s because you are still missing to treat the root cause of fever.
Fever usually occurs when germs, viruses, or bacteria invade your body. If the temperature of your body is normal then the invading viruses or bacteria will survive, flourish, and make you sick. So, your body’s immune system increases the temperature of your body which makes it difficult for the bacteria or viruses to survive.
Therefore, AC may help you temporarily reduce fever. But in long term, you will have to treat the main problem (infection) for complete recovery.
Can you get fever from air conditioner?
No, the air conditioner doesn’t cause fever.
Fever occurs when your body is attacked by germs, viruses, or bacteria. Your immune system increases the temperature of your body which makes it hard for the invading germs, bacteria, and viruses to survive. This way your body is saved from infection. If your body doesn’t increase the temperature then the invading germs can easily flourish, cause infection, and make you sick.
However, there are some points you must keep in mind:
- Keep your AC clean
A dirty and uncleaned air conditioner can cause many health problems. It’s because since an air conditioner holds a lot of moistness, it can become a potential growth environment for fungus, bacteria, and molds. Then it will start spreading those bacteria, fungus, and molds into your room and cause disease. Therefore, we recommend you keep your air conditioner regularly maintained and clean.
- Set the right temperature
Using AC at an extremely low temperature can also cause cold, chills, headaches, and joint pain. It can also slow down the blood circulation in your body which will slow down the flow of white blood cells. As a result, your immune system will become inactive and you will be more vulnerable to germs, viruses, and bacteria. So, you can get sick.
Therefore, we recommend you should set the right temperature for your air conditioner. It should be balanced according to the external temperature. If it is not too hot outside then you should also set a moderate temperature. Don’t set an extremely low temperature if the weather outside is good and cool.
Is aircon good for babies with fever?
Can we use ac when baby has fever? Yes, aircon is good for babies with fever. If your baby has a high fever then you can turn on the air conditioner at a comfortable temperature such as 70 to 74℉.
Fever for babies can be dangerous. If the body temperature of your baby increases above 100.4℉(38℃) then your baby can experience febrile seizures. Therefore, experts recommend you should keep your baby in a cool place. It will keep your baby relaxed, comfortable, and also prevent febrile seizures.
But you must pay attention to these points if you are using AC for your baby with fever:
- Set the right temperature
Do not set a too cold temperature on your AC. Only set a mild cold temperature that is comfortable for your baby. You must avoid setting a too cold temperature.
- Avoid direct exposure to AC
Do not keep your baby directly in front of the AC. Instead, change the direction of the wind. This is for keeping the baby comfortable so that the direct gust of cold wind doesn’t seem too uncomfortable.
- Keep your AC clean
A dirty and unclean AC can develop germs, fungus, molds, bacteria, and then throw them into the room. It can cause health problems.
- Set a timer
You should also set a timer on your AC so that it automatically turns off after some time. This will avoid exposing your baby to the AC for too long.
Does air conditioning make you tired?
Yes, an air conditioner can make you tired if the temperature you have set is too cold and uncomfortable for your body. Plus, spending too much time in an air-conditioned room can make also make you tired.
The reason is that continuous exposure to very cold temperatures will slow down blood flow in your body. It can cause headaches, joint pain, and tiredness.
Moreover, spending way too much time under an air conditioner can cause breathing, respiratory problems, dryness, and fatigue, etc.
Does air conditioning make you sleepy?
Yes, an air conditioner can make you sleepy.
Many people use air conditioners at night because it helps them to sleep faster and better.
The reason why it happens is thatif you want to sleep, then your body temperature needs to decrease a little bit. Only then you will be able to sleep.
In hot temperatures, it is very difficult for the body to decrease its temperature and that’s why we feel difficult to sleep.
On the other hand, an air conditioner lowers the temperature of your room. It helps your body to cool down very fast. As a result, you feel drowsy, sleepy, and relaxed.
This way AC can help you sleep faster.
Is it okay to use aircon when i have fever?
Yes, it is okay to use air-con if you have a fever.
If you have a fever then using an air conditioner can make you feel relaxed, comfortable, and reduce the fever.
Just make sure that your AC is clean and the temperature you have set is not too cold and uncomfortable for your body. We recommend you set a normal cool temperature that just makes you feel relaxed. Avoid setting a too coldtemperature as it cancause chills and make you feel uncomfortable.
Final words
This blog post has shown that you can use your air conditioner while having a temperature which is not beneficial but safe. The myths and concerns about health reasoned by an AC are somewhat self-created as the main reason for these issues is due to not following the right setting recommended by an expert.
Dr. Sagert specializes in neurology and internal medicine. Currently work in the corvallis clinic. She graduated in 2006 from Loma Linda University School of Medicine. 15 years+ experience.