Have you ever noticed that sleeping with a fan makes your throat hurt? You might be wondering why this is and what you can do to avoid it. A lot of people believe that this is because the fan blows cold air on your throat, making it feel like the air is cutting through you. It turns out, though, that’s not true. But don’t worry! There are still steps you can take to help avoid feeling like your throat is being cut open when you sleep with a fan. In fact, there are several things that might be causing your pain and discomfort while sleeping with a fan. Read on to find out what they are!
Why does sleeping with a fan make your throat hurt?
It turns out that sleeping with a fan really doesn’t make your throat hurt unless you’re in a hot room or you have an infection in your throat. The real culprit is most likely one of the other things on this list.
Why Does Sleeping With A Fan Make Your Throat Hurt?
A lot of people believe that sleeping with a fan makes their throat hurt because the fan blows cold air on their throat, making it feel like the air is cutting through them. This isn’t true, though. Other reasons you might find yourself feeling this way are because you’re sleeping on your stomach or side and/or you have a stuffy nose due to allergies. But if you feel your throat hurting, here are some things that might be causing the pain:
1. The fan is too close to you:
If the fan is too close to you, it can cause discomfort and pain in your throat while you sleep with a fan because it will blow air directly onto your throat and create an uncomfortable sensation there that feels like it’s cutting through you, especially if the room temperature isn’t very warm at all. To avoid this, try adjusting the distance between yourself and the fan so that it blows air farther away from your throat and body instead of right onto them! That should help relieve a lot of discomfort for you as well as make it easier for you to sleep with a fan on at night!
2. The fan is blowing directly on you:
Another reason why sleeping with a fan might make your throat hurt is if the fan is blowing directly on you. This can cause a lot of discomfort in your throat and create a sensation that feels like the air is cutting through it. To avoid this, try moving so that the fan blows air away from your throat. You can also try adjusting the angle of the fan so that it’s not blowing directly on you either! If you can do these things, then you should be able to avoid a lot of pain and discomfort while sleeping with a fan on at night!
3. There’s a draft in the room:
A third reason why sleeping with a fan might make your throat hurt is if there’s a draft in the room. Drafts are caused by holes or cracks in doors and windows, which means they can let cold air into your house. This cold air will then blow directly onto you as you sleep, which can create a sensation of air cutting into your throat that can feel painful and uncomfortable. To avoid this, make sure to seal up any holes or cracks in doors and windows! That way, the cold air won’t be able to get into your house and blow directly onto you as you sleep.
4. You’re getting sick:
Another reason why sleeping with a fan might make your throat hurt is if you’re getting sick. If you have a sore throat or other symptoms that suggest that you’re starting to get sick, then it’s very likely that sleeping with a fan on at night is going to cause pain and discomfort in your throat because the air blowing from the fan is going to irritate your throat even more! To avoid this, try lowering the temperature of your room more so that it will be easier for you to sleep with a fan at night without causing any pain or discomfort in your throat.
5. The temperature is too cold:
A fifth reason why sleeping with a fan might make your throat hurt is if the temperature in your room is too cold. If the temperature in your room is below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, then it can be too cold for you to sleep comfortably with a fan on at night. So, to avoid this problem, try increasing the temperature of your room so that it will be easier for you to sleep with a fan on at night without causing any pain or discomfort in your throat!
6. You’re not used to sleeping with a fan on:
A sixth reason why sleeping with a fan might make your throat hurt is if you’re not used to sleeping with one on. If you’ve never slept with a fan on before, then it’s possible that the sensation of air blowing directly onto you might cause pain and discomfort in your throat when you do start sleeping with one. To avoid this, try using a fan when you sleep in your bed for the first few days. This will give you time to get used to the sensation of air blowing directly onto you, which will make it easier for you to sleep with a fan at night without causing any pain or discomfort in your throat!
7. You’re allergic:
A seventh reason why sleeping with a fan might make your throat hurt is if you’re allergic to something. If there is some kind of dust or pollen in your room, then it’s very likely that sleeping with a fan on at night is going to cause pain and discomfort in your throat because the air blowing from the fan is going to blow this dust and pollen directly into your face! To avoid this, try cleaning out your room more so that there won’t be any dust or pollen floating around in it. This will make it easier for you to sleep with a fan on at night without causing any pain or discomfort in your throat!
What Might Be Causing Your Discomfort While Sleeping With A Fan?
Sleeping in a hot room
Sleeping in a room that’s too hot or humid can cause your throat to feel dry and sore. If you don’t have central air or an air conditioner, try opening the windows to get some cool night air into the room. Or try sleeping with just an electric fan, since it won’t blow cool air directly on you.
Having an infection in your throat
If you have an infection, like strep throat or tonsillitis, then your throat is already inflamed and irritated. So sleeping with a fan could make it feel even worse! Drink lots of water during the day and use a humidifier at night to help soothe your throat. You should also take some over-the-counter pain meds (like ibuprofen) if your throat is hurting too much to sleep comfortably.
Sleeping on your stomach or side
If you sleep on your stomach or side, you might have a hard time breathing through your nose. This can make it feel like the air is cutting through your throat when you sleep with a fan. Try sleeping on your back to see if that helps.
Not getting up often enough during the night and/or not moving around enough during the day
You should get up and move around every 2 hours or so while you’re sleeping to prevent blood clots from forming in your legs. If you don’t, it could be really painful for you when you wake up! (And it could even be dangerous!)
Not drinking enough water during the day
If your mouth and throat feel dry, that can make it even more uncomfortable when you sleep with a fan (or any other type of airflow). Try drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day to make sure that doesn’t happen!
What Can You Do To Avoid This Pain And Discomfort?
Try sleeping with just an electric fan
Since electric fans don’t blow cool air directly on you, they’re a great way to keep your room cool and comfortable without drying out your throat.
Try sleeping with just a sheet over you
A sheet can help keep the air moving over your body, but it won’t dry out your throat like a fan blowing directly on you might.
Try sleeping with some ice cubes in the room
Ice cubes won’t dry out your throat like a fan might, but they will give you that cool feeling that can make it easier to sleep comfortably in a hot room. (Just make sure there aren’t any open water bottles or glasses of water in the room when you do this!)
Try sleeping with a cool-mist humidifier in the room
A humidifier will add moisture to the air, which can make it feel cooler and more comfortable. Plus, it’ll help keep your throat from getting dry and scratchy.
Try sleeping with a towel over your pillow
A towel can help keep your pillow cool so you don’t wake up feeling like you’re suffocating in the heat. And if you use a fan at night, this will also make it easier for you to breathe through your nose!
Try sleeping with an ice pack on your neck or throat
An ice pack can make it easier for you to sleep comfortably if your throat is hurting too much to sleep normally. Just make sure you take it off every once in a while so that it doesn’t freeze!
Conclusion
Keep in mind, you may not be able to avoid this discomfort if you have a medical condition. In addition, if you are currently using a humidifier, you should remove it for a little while to allow your throat to heal.