Sleeping with this item could have a major impact on our health - but people are ignoring advice

Whether you simply love dozing off in a cool environment or feel comforted by its white noise, 'tis the season of us reaching to turn the fan on when we head to bed each night.

However, experts are now warning that those of us who sleep with the fan on all night could actually be putting ourselves at risk of health problems. Can't we enjoy anything anymore?

The Sleep Foundation have been uncovering the hidden dangers of using a fan during the night, and how we can still reap the benefits safely.

While we often blame our summer sniffles on allergies, it turns out it could be our fans contributing quietly in the background.

"Fans can spread dust and other allergens around the room", they say.

"Even after a fan is turned off, household allergens can linger in the air or settle on surfaces like fan blades and bedding. Keeping the bedroom and fan blades clean, or using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifier, may help filter some allergens out of the air."

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You may also notice that you have stiffer joints the following day, caused by a long period of temperature drop in your muscles, however, this should be rectified by having a warm shower.

What's more, that white noise sound we love so much may not be too healthy either.

"Though many people enjoy the sound of white noise while sleeping, others may find the sound of a fan irritating or distracting", The Sleep Foundation adds.

"Research suggests noises as low as 48 decibels, and potentially those as low as 33 decibels, can have noticeable effects on sleep."

However, social media isn't ready to listen just yet.

"It’s too hot without my fan on not matter how cold it is in my house", one person pointed out.

"Eh...it's worth it", another added of professionals advising against it.

"My fan could kill me in the middle of the night and I’m still not turning it off", someone else joked.

The solution? If possible, try and keep your fan on a timer, or at least point the airflow in a different direction that isn't straight in your face (arguably our favourite position for it to be in), and keep a glass of water close by so that you don't have a dry mouth when you wake up from the air.

Of course, there are a number of cooling products on the market too, from pillows to duvets, as well as more practical advice you can follow, including taking cold showers before bed, putting your socks in the freezer before putting them on to sleep, or even freezing a hot water bottle.

You could even leave the fan running for half an hour before you plan to get into bed so that you can reap the benefits of the newly-chilled air without fear of congesting yourself.

The more you know.

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