Simple fan hack to help you sleep better during the heatwave
Rhiannon Ingle
Featured Image Credit: Rike_/JGI/Tom Grill/Getty Images
Next week, we're finally set experience one of the hottest days of the year so far.
It seems like we can finally have the hot girl summer we've been dreaming of as the Met Office's long range forecast has predicted that we'll see the mercury seriously rising on one particular day next week.
And, in weather like that, we will take absolutely any cooling down tips we can get. We've put our bedding in the freezer, had a cold shower before bed and even frozen our hot water bottles.
But an expert has now presented another tip which is so simple, and is meant to work wonders.
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Nelson Lebo, an eco design adviser from New Zealand, told the Daily Telegraph that rather than blasting a fan in your face, pointing it outwards towards the open window is actually the best thing to do.
The reason this hack works is because the fan is meant to blow out the warm air from your room, while simultaneously pulling the cold air in.
"The overall goal is to pull the warm air out while drawing cool air in once the outdoor temperature drops below the indoor temperature," the expert said.
He added: "It only works when the wind is blowing and then it works best when there is a direct route for the wind to blow through a home.
"What the fan does is, it forces cross ventilation, even when the wind is not blowing. A fan will also pull air around corners, as in our home."
This trick is a revelation, because too often people just blow hot air around the room, if they assemble it pointing at themselves, instead of the window.
While using a fan is essential in this heat, it's important not to leave it on all night when you sleep. This is because sleeping with a fan circulates dust straight at you, as well as pollen.
This means that your fan could actually be triggering for those who suffer with allergies or asthma, Sleep Advisor reports.
"Take a close look at your fan," Sleep Advisor's expert suggests. "If it’s been collecting dust on the blades, those particles are flying through the air every time you turn it on."
This isn't the only issue that can occur if you lay by a fan for too long.
The expert adds that people's skin may well suffer, too, because the air blowing at them can dry it out. It can also dry you nasal passages, meaning you wake up feeling like you have a cold, because your body produces excess mucus.
And that's not all, it can encourage your muscles to stiffen, too.
"This is because the concentrated cool air can make muscles tense up and cramp," they explain.