In short, scientists and experts seem to agree that leaving your AC on during the night is pretty safe. What's more, some actually recommend it since the optimal temperature for sleeping seems to be on the cooler end of the spectrum.
Turning off your AC promotes better sleep
'Maintaining a cool and comfortable bedroom environment is crucial for a good night's sleep,' says Alvin Pullins, a home improvement and maintenance specialist. 'However, shallow temperatures, especially during sleep, can interfere with sleep quality and overall restfulness.
The way we see it, sleeping with the AC on all night won't kill you, not even harm you, as long as you do so safely. Just make sure that you keep the direct flow of air away from your bed and face, and stay in that sweet spot of 60-67 degree Fahrenheit.
The Best AC Temperature for Sleep
The National Sleep Foundation recommends an optimal range to promote sleep, which is between 60 degrees and 67 degrees. Be mindful that this recommendation is for adults. For infants, for instance, the general recommendation is between 67 degrees and 69 degrees.
Ceiling fans can be the best option to sleep with to relax your body and brain instead of an AC or cooler. However, an AC or cooler can be tempting but isn't the best option for your health. But sleeping with a fan on is always a better option as it provides us with natural sleep and several benefits.
The main reason we rely on a trusty fan to get a good night's sleep is less about temperature and more about white noise. White noise essentially works to mask the difference between background sounds and “peak” sounds (such as an ambulance siren or a door slamming) to maintain more consistency in your environment.
Helps Maintain a Comfortable Sleep Environment
View Source , as the cooling breeze can be helpful during nighttime hot flashes. A fan can also make the room more comfortable when someone has a fever.
This is more of a personal question, as different people feel comfortable at different temperatures. Since 72 degrees is generally agreed upon to be an ideal indoor temperature, most people would probably still feel comfortable setting their AC units slightly higher than this, perhaps at around 75.
For nighttime, you want the temperature to be lower. The National Sleep Foundation recommends setting your AC between 60 and 67 degrees to get the best sleep. Your body cools down as you fall asleep, so sleeping in a cool room helps you get to sleep better.
Most experts agree that 60-72 degrees is the ideal AC temperature for sleep. You may be curious why the range is so large. The truth is the Ideal Sleeping Temperature can vary drastically from person to person. A good idea is to start off in the 65-70 range and adjust from there.
Think of the time when AC is set at a low temperature and you're feeling too cold and feel the need to drink water. Staying in AC for a prolonged period of time can cause respiratory problems in nose, throat and eyes. You may experience dry throat, rhinitis and nasal blockage.
Lower temperatures lead to dryness in the air and increase the spread of cold-causing viruses. They also dry out your nasal lining, making you susceptible to infections.
Studies have shown that, on average, shutting off your air conditioner at night will reduce your total cooling costs by somewhere around 30% compared to leaving it turned on 24 hours a day.
The short answer is yes, it is cheaper to leave your air conditioner on all day. But this does not mean that you should leave it on full blast, keeping your home so cold that you need a sweater or jacket to be comfortable.
So the question remains: should you ever turn off your air conditioner? The only times that it makes sense to turn off your air conditioner completely are when it's cool enough outside to open your windows and allow the outdoor air to keep your home's temperature at a moderate level.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recommends aiming for an inside temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit in summer. In winter, the DOE suggests 68 degrees Fahrenheit as the indoor temperature to aim for, letting that drop lower when you are asleep at night.
So, a safe setting is 75 degrees. However, this is only necessary when you're in your home. If you're like most, you are gone during the day. When gone, you can set your thermostat anywhere from 76 to 78.
Once you have the right size air conditioner, there's still an ideal temperature range to consider. It's best to not set your thermostat lower than 70 to 72 degrees. Most units are not designed to cool a house below that point, and you risk the system freezing up.
Keeping your fan on AUTO is the most energy-efficient option. The fan only runs when the system is on and not continuously. There is better dehumidification in your home during the summer months. When your fan is set to AUTO, moisture from cold cooling coils can drip and be drained outside.
It can trigger allergens and asthma
Naturally, when an electric fan is on it circulates the air around the room, however, what many people aren't aware of is that it also circulates dust mites, spores, pollen, and other allergens.
There's nothing wrong with wearing a bra while you sleep if that's what you're comfortable with. Sleeping in a bra will not make a girl's breasts perkier or prevent them from getting saggy. And it will not stop breasts from growing or cause breast cancer.
White noise uses a mix of sound frequencies to create a static-like sound. It can be intense and high-pitched, like a fan, air conditioner, or a vacuum.
White noise can also help the brain to relax by giving it a sound to focus on instead of the cacophony of stressful thoughts inside our heads. The faster we're able to fall asleep, the less chance our brain has to keep us up until three in the morning stressing about the day ahead.
Though many experts find nighttime white noise to be a safe and effective treatment for restlessness, some studies have suggested that repeated use of white noise could be harmful to the body, especially for those who suffer from tinnitus, or ringing in the ears.