Sleep Experts Urge Minnesotans NOT To Sleep With a Fan On

Wait, What Do You Mean We Shouldn't Sleep With a Fan On?

It's summer in Minnesota. The air is thick and you’re just doing your best not to stick to your sheets. If you're anything like me, you’ve got your bedtime routine down to a science - fan on full blast, eye mask on, dogs curled up at your feet, ready to drift off to the sweet hum of white noise heaven. Ahh, perfection.

So imagine my horror when I stumbled across an article warning people not to sleep with a fan on. I’m sorry, what? What’s next, no dogs in the bed? Not a chance.

Related: Apparently, Minnesotans Get the Best Sleep in the Country

Well, sleep experts are telling fan sleepers to change their ways. Why? They say running a fan all night can actually cause a handful of issues like:

It stirs up allergens and dust – That breeze you love? It’s also blowing pollen, pet dander, and whatever else is hiding under your bed straight into your face. Yuck...
It can cause nasal congestion – Some people wake up feeling stuffed up, not because of allergies, but because the constant air dries out their sinuses.
Dry eyes and irritated skin – If you sleep with your eyes slightly open, that fan could be drying them out, leaving you red and itchy. Same goes for your skin.
Nighttime coughing fits – For those with asthma or sensitivities, fans can irritate airways and lead to coughing, sneezing, or dry throats that make sleeping soundly impossible.
Stiff neck or sore muscles – Sleep experts say that cool breeze might feel great in the moment, but if your fan’s aimed directly at you, don’t be surprised if you wake up with a stiff neck or sore muscles.

But before you toss your fan in the garage, there’s some good news: you don’t have to give it up entirely. According to GoodRX, you can reduce the not-so-fun side effects by keeping your room clean, use a humidifier or purifier instead, try a rotating fan that doesn’t blow directly on you, or set a timer so the fan shuts off once you’re asleep.

Or, you know, we can just pretend we didn’t read the article and keep sleeping like it’s the 90's with the fan blowing full force.

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Gallery Credit: Troy Dunken