How does air conditioning affect your sleep and health?

Due to its geographical location in the tropics, Vietnam almost always has high temperatures and high humidity, making the air always hot and stuffy. Therefore, one of the most popular solutions for people is to turn on the air conditioner all day and night. Although this can create coolness and comfort, should we consider leaving the air conditioner on all night long?

Let's find out with MITSUBISHI HEAVY whether your health and sleep are affected by air conditioning or not?

Quality sleep is very important

Sleep plays a vital role in every aspect of health - from cardiovascular health, immune system function, weight regulation to mental health. When we are sleep deprived, the danger signs occur quickly. Lack of sleep often leads to a gradual decline in mental function, difficulty concentrating, increased stress and aging skin.

The environment in which we sleep determines how well our body recovers. Too hot, too cold, too dirty all affect the balance in the body. Just one short night of disturbed sleep can cause visible damage, worse than becoming chronic insomnia.

Temperature regulation is really the key to good sleep

When we sleep, our internal body temperature gradually decreases, during the deepest stage of sleep is when our body becomes coldest, so a cool environment will make it easier for you to fall asleep. The optimal temperature for the bedroom is between 25 and 28 degrees, keeping your bedroom cool at night will greatly improve the quality of your sleep.

If possible, you should adjust the air conditioner to maintain a moderately cool temperature for a while before going to bed so that the cold air covers the entire space, instead of just turning on the air conditioner before going to bed and turning the temperature down. Because at the temperature you feel comfortable when you wake up, it will lead to the risk of catching a cold when you wake up the next morning. This is also a smart tip to save electricity, your house will be cooler when you go to bed (and the cooler air at night also makes a difference).

For the same reason, on the controller of the MITSUBISHI HEAVY air conditioner, there is a sleep mode, the temperature will increase by half a degree every 2 hours. This control button solves the problem of lowering the temperature of the air and the body at night.

In addition to using air conditioning, you can also take a warm shower right before going to bed to increase your body temperature and let it gradually cool down when you go to bed. However, as mentioned above, you should only set the air conditioner to a moderately cool level. If you set the temperature too low while you have just finished taking a hot shower, it will lead to heat shock, colds and sudden death. Pillows, mattresses and blankets should also use heat-dissipating fabrics to reduce temperature and ensure coolness throughout the night.

How to best use air conditioning?

If the air conditioner filter is not cleaned regularly (about every three months), it can start to accumulate mold and bacteria. This then spreads bacteria around the house, making people who inhale this air susceptible to infections, mainly respiratory infections. If you have asthma, it can also cause a paroxysmal cough.

So, check your filters regularly to prevent harmful agents from building up. Also, to get the most out of your air conditioner, it is important to control the temperature and humidity in your home. Newer air conditioners can run for longer periods of time at lower capacity and use less energy while handling both temperature and humidity at the same time.