Air conditioners are widely used everywhere and for a variety of good reasons. These magical appliances keep you comfortable inside when temperatures are soaring outside. Air-conditioners have become so ubiquitous today that it’s almost impossible to imagine life without them., However, not everything is right with using air-conditioners at all times, and you need to be aware of some of the side effects of continuously using these appliances.
Here’s a list of some of the most unpleasant effects of continuous use of air-conditioners and it’s important for you to be aware of these side effects in order to use them judiciously.
Dry Eyes
As you must be aware, an air conditioner provides cooling by sucking out moisture in the air inside an enclosed space which means it creates dryness in the air and that is what gives you that feeling of cold.
However, when an air conditioner removes excessive moisture from the air, it could lead to dry air and that could cause your eyes to become irritated. In extreme cases, your eyes might also burn.
If the relative humidity in your room goes down below a certain level, it might also blur your vision. People who suffer from a dry eye problem should avoid spending long hours in a space cooled by an air conditioner as it will worsen their condition.
Lethargy
It seems completely counterintuitive that an air-conditioner could make you feel tired, but it is completely true. When you look at the working principle of an air-conditioner, you will discover that it keeps recirculating the air inside an enclosed space. That is how an AC can maintain a consistent temperature inside that space.
In other words, it keeps stale recirculating air, and when you do not get exposed to fresh air for a long period of time, it could lead to that feeling of becoming easily tired. In fact, many people experience headaches, nausea and similar symptoms when they spend a long period of time in an air-conditioned space and do not get some fresh air from outside. This is why it is recommended to always get in some fresh air in a room after using the air conditioner for several hours.
Dehydration
It must be clear by now that air-conditioners remove moisture from the air inside an enclosed space, and if air conditioning removes too much moisture from the air, it could cause the air to become extremely dry, and that could lead to dehydration.
Keep in mind that you are constantly sweating, and if the air inside a room is too dry, it could lead to excessive sweating, and if your body loses too much water too quickly, it could lead to dehydration.
What makes things worse is that AC keeps you cold, and you never realise dehydration happening inside you, but after some time, you will feel too weak to get up and drink water, and it is also likely that you may pass out.
Dry or Itchy Skin
If you remain in an air-conditioned space for long hours and follow it up by remaining outside in the sun, you could quickly develop dry and itchy skin. It’s a common problem and is known as the sick building syndrome.
When most of the other side effects could go away after a few hours once you leave the air-conditioned space but dealing with dry and itchy skin is completely different. In fact, it might take you several weeks to fully recover from this condition, and you might not recover fully until the end of the summer season if you keep going back to the same building again and again.
Headaches
It often happens in buildings where there is air conditioning, but ventilation is poor. In such buildings, people are likely to experience difficulty in breathing, skin irritation, and headaches, among other things.
You might already be feeling dizzy due to dehydration, and when dehydration is combined with the noise produced by air-conditioners, it could lead to severe headaches.
Respiratory Issues
Due to the circulation of state air inside an air-conditioned space, people inside that enclosed space could suffer from a variety of respiratory issues. Therefore, it is important to ensure that an air-conditioned space is properly ventilated. There is a regular flow of fresh air from outside to ensure that people inside can breathe in the fresh air.
Sometimes, extremely dry air could also need to development of mould and mildew inside, and since the air-conditioner circulates stale air indoors, it could also lead to the circulation of mould spores inside the building, causing respiratory issues as well as other health issues for people inside.
Allergies and Asthma
If people inside an enclosed air-conditioned space already suffer from allergies and asthma, air conditioning could make things worse for them. For some people, remaining indoors provides enough protection from air pollutants, but it could also make conditions worse for some people who are already suffering from allergies and other respiratory issues.
This is why it is important to ensure that the air conditioner is regularly cleaned and well maintained in order to avoid the risk of allergies and asthma.
Noise Pollution
Technological advances have made modern air-conditioners extremely quiet, but there are many people who still use old window air conditioners that produced a lot of noise. In fact, many modern-day air-conditioners could also lead to noise pollution if they are not installed properly. Therefore, it is recommended to replace your old air conditioner if it is producing too much noise.
Infectious Diseases
An AC works by removing moisture from the air, and that could lead to drying out of your nasal passages leading to irritation in your mucous membranes. Mucous plays an essential role in your body as it acts as a kind of protective barrier and protects your body from attack by viruses and harmful bacteria.
There have been many such cases where people have been infected by viruses and harmful bacteria spread in building through the air conditioning system. This is why regular cleaning up of the air conditioning system is extremely important.
Indoor Pollutants
Suppose an air-conditioned space isn’t properly ventilated. In that case, it could lead to the circulation of contaminants and pollutants in the enclosed space leading to a variety of diseases and other such issues. This is why it is important to ensure proper ventilation of enclosed space.
Conclusion
So, what do you think? Are we going to stick with air-conditioners, or are we going back to the good old days of sweating it out without an AC? What’s your opinion on this topic and would love for you to share it in the comments.
from Cool Earth Aircon Services https://www.coolearth.com.sg/aircon-side-effects/
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