Heat effects: how air conditioning influences health

In response to global warming, human beings have been forced to adapt. One way to adapt to extreme heat events is to install air conditioning in homes and public buildings around the world. There is no doubt it can be lifesaving when the temperature rises. It also has some other health effects.

• Improved air quality: Air conditioning can improve your health by enhancing the quality of the air in your living room.

• Boosts metabolism: If you spend more time in cold weather (such as in air-conditioned environments), you may lose weight. As your body adapts to cooler temperatures, it may develop more "brown fat," which burns energy.

• Better sleep: It improves sleep quality by creating a cooler and more conducive environment for rest.

• Dehydration: Air conditioning can deplete the moisture in the air, which in turn affects our hydration levels. When the air is dry, the body loses moisture more quickly through respiration and sweating.

• Skin and eye irritation: Sleeping in a room with an air conditioner can lead to dry skin and eyes due to the reduced humidity. Long-term exposure to dry air can also cause irritation and discomfort in the eyes, as well as redness, itching, and blurred vision.

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• Headache: Sudden temperature changes between the cool indoor environment and the hot outdoor environment can cause constricting and rapid expansion of blood vessels in the head, leading to headaches, or they may cause sinus congestion and worsen migraines.

• Respiratory issues: Cold and dry air may irritate the airways, leading to coughing, sneezing, and throat discomfort. Patients with allergies or asthma may experience worsened symptoms in air-conditioned environments.

• Infectious diseases: Improperly maintained air conditioning systems can harbour and circulate bacteria, viruses, and fungi, increasing the risk of respiratory infections.

• Muscle stiffness and joint pain: Prolonged exposure to cold air from air conditioning can cause muscle stiffness and joint pain. This is especially problematic for individuals with arthritis or other musculoskeletal conditions.

• Environmental impact: Air conditioning contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, worsens climate change, and indirectly impacts public health through extreme weather events and shifts in disease patterns.

Tips for using AC systems in a healthy way:

To avoid air-conditioning disease and ensure healthy use of AC systems, follow the following tips:

• Regular maintenance and cleaning: The general guidelines recommend cleaning the filter every 1 to 2 months. Factors such as usage, local air quality, and pet presence can all have an impact on      frequency.

• In summer, the ideal air-conditioning temperature is between 240 and 260C. If the outside temperature is particularly high, there should be no more than 140C difference between the inside and the outside temperature.

• We should use additional measures, like humidifiers, to counteract the drying effects of air conditioning.

• The goal is to ensure adequate ventilation in air-conditioned spaces to maintain indoor air quality.

• It is important to take a break from air-conditioned      environments so that the body can adjust to the natural temperature.

• Do not switch between extreme temperatures. If you are sitting in an AC room and you have to go out, turn off the AC for a while, so that the heat from outside does not feel harsh on your body. And if you come from outside, do not turn on the AC immediately; rather, switch to the fan.

• Invest in high-quality air conditioners.  

The writer is a medical biochemist working at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Dhaka. E-mail: [email protected]