‘I was taken to hospital on holiday after sleeping with air con on’
A British woman who was admitted to hospital while on holiday in Turkey has warned others to avoid sleeping with air conditioning on.
Liana Foster, 24, was on holiday in Antalya, Turkey, with her family when she woke up with a sore throat.
The following day she woke up feeling groggy, and her mum noticed some white spots in the back of her throat and took her to hospital.
"I felt really groggy and got a sore throat as well,” the content creator and scientist from north London said. "I was really shaky. I couldn't eat or drink.
“I thought it was covid again. My temperature was bad, my body was aching.”
At hospital doctors told Foster that she had tonsillitis, and she was put on an IV drip and given antibiotics.
They told her that it had been caused by sleeping in a room with air conditioning.
"The first night we had it [the air con] on really low in the room,” Foster explains. "I think I sleep through my mouth more. It made me ill."
How air conditioning could lead to tonsillitis
Dr Deborah Lee, of Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, tells Yahoo UK that sleeping with the air con switched on overnight can dry out mucous membranes and that this lack of moisture can result in a sore throat, nosebleeds, and even sinusitis.
“The mucous membranes are coated in sticky mucus that helps protect the body from invasion by bacteria and viruses. When the mucus dries up, defence mechanisms are weakened, and viral and bacterial invasion is more likely,” Dr Lee adds.
“Mucous is largely made up of water but it also contains antibodies, and enzymes. Tiny hairs in the nose and the back of the throat beat the mucus upwards away from the lungs. But when the mucus is too thick, they cannot do this so efficiently.”
She adds that people with asthma can find that air con exacerbates respiratory symptoms, while older people can find that sleeping with air conditioning worsens their hearing, causes vertigo, and tinnitus.
“The chance of developing a sore throat, tonsillitis or any other upper respiratory tract infection also depends on the quality of the air con system,” Dr Fox adds.
“If it hasn't been properly installed or is not well maintained, this also increases the health risks. The air con filter can become contaminated with house dust mites, pollen, pet dander, mould and spores which are then circulating in the room overnight. This means sleeping with the air con can also cause a flare up of allergies.”
How to keep cool at night on holiday
If you rely on air con to keep you cool at night, Dr Fox recommends having a cold shower before bedtime, sleeping in cool cotton clothing, and freezing a water bottle to take to bed with you.
“Keep drinking plenty of water during the day and have a glass of water before bedtime. Don’t get dehydrated,” she adds.
During the day, Dr Fox says not to reduce the air con to less than 22C as anywhere below this can increase the likelihood of ear symptoms. Using a timer switch can also be a good way to ensure you are cool when you sleep but that you don’t spend the night with the unit on.
Additional reporting by SWNS.
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