It seems, wherever we are at home, at work or in the car, the only way we can stand the summer heat is with air conditioning. We should remember, however, that as pleasant as it may be, it may also be quite dangerous, thus, even though we crave the coolness, it would behoove us to consider whether air conditioning is actually good for us before turning it on. The following are a few tips regarding what you should look out for when using air conditioning.
“The most prevalent heat caused symptoms are fatigue, exhaustion and lack of concentration during which time driving and physical work may be especially dangerous. When temperatures run high, our workload capacity decreases, sleeplessness sets in which, in turn, affects our work and our personal relationships. The heat spells may also increase symptoms of depression and cardiovascular disorder sufferers may suddenly feel unwell. With air conditioning, on the other hand, the above symptoms may decrease or may even be avoided and may have a beneficial effect on allergy sufferers since with the windows mostly closed, the allergy causing pollens do not have a way of entering our homes”, explained Nóra Nagy-László, MD, Occupational Health Director at the Buda Health Centerealth Center.
Air conditioning may cause the following problems:
- Respiratory problems and earaches;
- if used very often, the cooled area may become dry causing the eyes and the mucous membranes of the nose and throat to become dry as well;
- if the air conditioner is set too cold, we may easily catch a cold especially when there is a big difference between the exterior and interior temperatures;
- if the temperature is not set properly, our system may be placed under undue stress: the veins dilated due to the heat constrict in the sudden cold, causing blood circulation to deteriorate causing joint complaints;
- air conditioners not cleaned and maintained properly may cause serious problems, infections and influenza type diseases.
How to enjoy its advantages
According to Nóra Nagy-László, MD, if we keep the following suggestions in mind, we may enjoy the benefits of air conditioning.Five helpful suggestions for proper air conditioner use:
- set the unit so that the difference between the outside and inside temperature is not more than 5-8°C;
- in order to spare the joints, do not have the cold air blow directly on you;
- run the unit at the lowest revolution possible;
- when used in the car, turn the air conditioner off a few minutes before getting out of the car to give your body time to adjust to the difference in temperature;
- if you feel cold at work due to the air conditioner, try to work out a compromise with your fellow workers or put on a shawl.
