Living in the hot and humid weather of Singapore, the air con might be your best friend at home or in the office. Although nothing can compare to the joy of feeling the air conditioning cooling wind brushing against your cheeks after coming home, there are some health factors you may want to know to protect yourself and your family.
Can Air Conditioning Make You Sick?
The short answer is yes, and it is actually quite common to happen – especially in children. Since your body is gradually used to the humid and hot weather in Singapore, exposing yourself to the dry and cold air that air con produces can cause various types of sicknesses.
But the good news is, by knowing a few helpful tips on what to avoid in an air conditioned environment, you can stay healthy and avoid the risks of using the air con at home, in the office or even inside shopping malls in Singapore.
Top 3 Tips to Avoid Falling Sick Because of the Air Con
1. Do Not Stand in Front of the Cold Air Con Wind When Sweaty
One of the most common causes of falling sick because of the air conditioning inside the room, is due to standing directly in front of the cooling wind – especially after you have had a vigorous exercise. It might be tempting to enjoy the cooling wind of the aircon if you feel hot in the humid weather of Singapore. But be aware that standing in front of the dry and cold wind that air con produces will very likely make you sick and cause muscle aches the next day.
So next time you arrive home in sweat, you might want to fight the temptation of standing right in front of your air con. Wait for a while and use your fan to cool off, until your body gets used to the mild temperature. Then you can turn on the aircon and let it gradually cool down the overall temperature of the house – instead of standing in front of it completely.
2. Turn Off the Air Con When You Have Just Come Out of the Shower
When your hair is wet and you have just come out of the bathroom after a hot shower, your body is in its most vulnerable state when it comes to falling sick because of the air conditioning. Since the air con makes it very dry and cold, it is the worst opposite of the current moist and warm state your body is used to after taking a shower. So this sudden change in temperature and humidity can be a very easy cause for developing sore throat or catching cold.
So simply turn off the aircon for a while until your body and hair is fully dry. If you feel it is too hot (which is common for an average day in Singapore), simply use the ceiling fan for a while until your hair dries off. This is especially important if you have children in the house, as kids are much more prone to falling sick because of the aircon after taking a bath.
3. Use the Fan Instead of the Air Con Overnight
You may hear one of the most common times that people fall sick, is when they leave the air con on the entire night while they were asleep. When you are asleep, your body’s temperature naturally falls down. So when leaving the air con on throughput the night, you are very prone to catching a cold when the aircon makes the room very dry and cold after a few hours. So you might wake up with a sore throat the next day.
So what can you do to stand the warm and humid nights in Singapore? You can simply use the ceiling fan in order to get a nice cozy wind above you. Since the fan keeps the temperature quite mild and not too dry or cold – unlike the aircon – you and your family will have a higher chance of staying healthy and preventing a sore throat.
If you feel it is just too humid and hot at night, you might want to turn on the aircon in the living room – instead of the bedroom. By leaving the bedroom door open, you can enjoy a mild cooling breeze coming from the living room, without exposing yourself to too much dry aircon wind directly.