Prolonged exposure to air-conditioning it can cause health complications: lack of maintenance in the filters, inadequate ventilation or sudden changes in temperature are problems that can lead to colds, laryngitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis, joy crises, bronchospasms in asthmatics and even pneumonia, they warned the specialists of the Hospital de Clínicas “José de San Martín” of the City of Buenos Aires.
“Air conditioners cool the air, remove moisture and tend to accumulate dust or other types of organic substances on the filters. All this favors irritation, inflammation or infection of the respiratory tract”explained Dr. Ana Putruele, head of the Pulmonology Division of the Hospital de Clínicas.
The specialist added that “the most serious problems are related to the germs accumulated in dirty air conditioning filters when there is no proper maintenance”.
Among these germs, the best known is the bacterium Legionella pneumophila, responsible for pneumonia that can be serious. This year an outbreak due to the infection caused by this bacterium caused six deaths in a sanatorium in San Miguel de Tucumán, Indications pointed to maintenance problems in the clinic’s refrigeration system.
Other major air pollutants are the fungi Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus fumigatus, which cause rhinitis, asthma, pneumonia or hypersensitivity pneumonitis. In addition, there are other frequent conditions caused by the prolonged use of these devices, such as colds, laryngitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis, bouts of joy, bronchospasms in asthmatics and worsening episodes of COPD in more complex cases.
Air conditioning and sleep disturbances
For the human body, the comfortable temperature for sleeping is between 24 and 25 degrees. “When one sleeps with higher temperatures, our body tends to wake up due to discomfort or sweating, which makes sleep superficial and of poor quality. That is why it is important that in summer the room is sufficiently cooled. The goal is to achieve a temperature of 24/25 degrees,” said the head of the Pulmonology Division of the Hospital de Clínicas.
However, setting the air conditioning to a lower temperature can be counterproductive, since we can feel cold and wake up several times in the middle of the night.
“An adult person needs to sleep between 7 and 9 hours to have an adequate quality of life, a restful sleep. Sleeping less than 7 hours increases the risk of diseases such as heart problems or metabolic problems and also increases mortality globally. In addition, it increases the risk of having high blood pressure, arrhythmias and heart problems”, indicated Facundo Nogueira, pulmonologist and head of the Sleep Laboratory of the Hospital de Clínicas. It should be noted that children and adolescents need to rest more hours at night than adults
Because air conditioning dries out the nasal passages, they can cause irritation on mucous membranes. “In the absence of this protection we become more vulnerable to the attack of some viruses. The use of air conditioning favors the permanence of people in closed environments, with less ventilation, thus facilitating the transmission and contagion of germs”, stated Dr. Putruele.
Regarding the use of air conditioning at bedtime, specialists recommend keeping the temperature regulated between 24 and 27 ºC using the night mode function so as not to overcool the environment during the night. On the other hand, they recommend keeping the room temperature in a stable range, so they do not advise turning the equipment on and off constantly.
In the case of children, special care must be taken to avoid health problems. “During the first year of life, the airways are very narrow and susceptible to changes in the environment, and any infection or irritation can make it difficult to breathe. breathing normal. To avoid dryness in the environment, the rooms where the child will be must be ventilated frequently, for at least one hour a day”, they indicated from the Hospital de Clínicas.
In addition, it is very important that the airflow is not focused directly on the little ones.
Tips for correct use of air conditioning
-Keep them clean filters to prevent the accumulation of allergenic particles such as pollen, mites or household dust.
-Condition the environment to a temperature between 24 and 27 °C. The air flow should not be direct on people.
-Always maintain the humidity of the environment, using the function of ventilation.
-Use of fans as an option to cool off. Both the movement of air and the evaporation of moisture from the skin produce sensations of a drop in temperature between 3 and 5º C.
–Avoid sudden temperature changes. Regulate the entry and exit from heat to cold and from cold to heat.
– Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated.
-Keep in mind that when you rest you can sleep with your mouth open and if you do it with the air conditioning on, you can suffer irritation of the airways, even more so in people who have low defenses.
