Do you use a fan to sleep? Here's what to know. - WaPo
The science
Fans may help you sleep better for a couple of reasons: They can provide a cooling breeze and soothing white noise, sleep experts said. It is not, however, a one-size-fits-all approach as its success can depend on various factors, including how hot it is, the type of fan and whether a person has certain health conditions.
While fans cannot lower the temperature in a room, they can create a breeze that can help cool you.
As the Energy Department points out, fans “cool people, not rooms” through the wind chill effect, in which wind displaces warmer air and helps evaporate sweat from the skin, making people feel cooler. This may be especially helpful for people who run hot at night, including those who are going through menopause or taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs.
But there are caveats.
First, fans work best when indoor temperatures are below 90 degrees. Above that, fans can increase body temperature, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Second, the type of fan matters. Ceiling fans and oscillating fans work well for air circulation, helping to create the wind chill effect, but they have some drawbacks. When people want the added benefit of white noise, ceiling fans have less to offer because they tend to be quiet. And oscillating fans can sometimes disrupt sleep by creating fluctuations in air flow and noise, said Norah Simpson, a clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University.
Third, how we use fans is important. Since we breathe out carbon dioxide, it can build up, particularly in poorly ventilated rooms, said John Saito, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “If you’re blowing a fan on you to help you cool, that’s great. But if you’re in a stuffy room, you actually want the fan to blow out all the CO2 that has built up in the room,” meaning you should angle it to blow out an open door or window, he said.
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