Latest news with #BetterSleepCouncil
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Using a fan during summer could help you sleep better – and it's not just about the temperature
Using a fan on a hot summer night may help you sleep better — and it's not just about the temperature. While a whirring fan may provide some much-needed relief from sky-high dew points and lingering heat, they can also alleviate noise pollution. 'Tuning out environmental noises with the soothing sound of white noise from a fan can significantly improve sleep quality,' the Better Sleep Council advises. In a survey of Americans' sleep, 27 percent of respondents who considered themselves to be excellent sleepers reported regularly sleeping with a fan in their bedroom. But, there are even more benefits. Here's what to know... Using a fan may help to improve the quality of your sleep. (Getty Images/iStock) It's not just white noise With people awake longer hours during summer months, there's more noise pollution, or unwanted and disturbing sound. Fans can help to fight the negative effects of noise pollution, such as sleep disruption, insomnia, and chronic health conditions that include heart disease, depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment. Loud noises can even trigger an acute stress response commonly known as 'fight-or-flight,' according to Peter James, an associate professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. James and colleagues found in 2017 that low-income communities and areas with a large proportion of nonwhite residents are disproportionately impacted by traffic noise. So are people who live in urban areas. 'We've made these conscious or subconscious decision as a society to put minority-race communities who have the least amount of political power in areas near highways and airports,' he told Kaiser Health News. Tuning out these sounds can significantly improve sleep quality. Fans produce a consistent ambient noise that can 'mask some of the lower-level fluctuations in background noise so that you're not alerted to those signals,' Norah Simpson, a clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, told The Washington Post. White noise may also make the ringing sound associated with tinnitus less noticeable. The audiological and neurological condition impacts approximately 10 percent of American adults, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. There are other more obvious benefits For one, fans can clear the air in a room. 'If you're blowing a fan on you to help you cool, that's great. But if you're in a stuffy room, you actually want the fan to blow out all the carbon dioxide that has built up in the room,' John Saito, spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, told The Post. Exposure to too much carbon dioxide in a room may put people at an increased risk of tiredness, headache, eye irritation, sore or dry throat, dizziness, and congestion. Secondly, fans cannot lower the temperature in the room, but they can make you feel more cool. Fans are able to cool people by displacing warmer air, and helping to evaporate sweat from the skin, according to NASA. Make sure to get the right fan! Oscillating fans may prevent air flow from moving directly toward you as you sleep (Getty Images/iStock) Getting the seven hours of sleep adults need to stay healthy is greatly impacted during hot and humid summers. And the season is becoming even hotter due to the impacts of human-caused climate change. Hot and bothered Americans already lose over an hour of sleep each week in summer, according to SleepScore Labs, impacting an already shorter average sleep duration. 'In summer, the delta between the sleep we need and the sleep we get widens,' Nate Watson, SleepScore Labs' Sleep Advisory Board chair, told 'Warmer temperatures' impact on our ability to fall asleep along with increased social activities competing with sleep time are likely additional factors impacting these findings." Bear this in mind Oscillating fans prevent air flow from moving in just one direction, according to Healthline. The publication notes that fans can circulate dust and pollen, dry out your eyes and skin, and result in muscle aches. Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using fans only if indoor temperatures are less than 90 degrees. 'In temperatures above 90 degrees, a fan can increase body temperature,' the agency said. 'When you're sitting in front of a fan, it makes you feel cool. But just because you feel cool doesn't mean that it's exactly reducing the burden that your body faces,' Glen Kenny, a physiology professor at the University of Ottawa, told InsideClimate News.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Using a fan during summer could help you sleep better – and it's not just about the temperature
Using a fan on a hot summer night may help you sleep better — and it's not just about the temperature. While a whirring fan may provide some much-needed relief from sky-high dew points and lingering heat, they can also alleviate noise pollution. 'Tuning out environmental noises with the soothing sound of white noise from a fan can significantly improve sleep quality,' the Better Sleep Council advises. In a survey of Americans' sleep, 27 percent of respondents who considered themselves to be excellent sleepers reported regularly sleeping with a fan in their bedroom. But, there are even more benefits. Here's what to know... It's not just white noise With people awake longer hours during summer months, there's more noise pollution, or unwanted and disturbing sound. Fans can help to fight the negative effects of noise pollution, such as sleep disruption, insomnia, and chronic health conditions that include heart disease, depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment. Loud noises can even trigger an acute stress response commonly known as 'fight-or-flight,' according to Peter James, an associate professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. James and colleagues found in 2017 that low-income communities and areas with a large proportion of nonwhite residents are disproportionately impacted by traffic noise. So are people who live in urban areas. 'We've made these conscious or subconscious decision as a society to put minority-race communities who have the least amount of political power in areas near highways and airports,' he told Kaiser Health News. Tuning out these sounds can significantly improve sleep quality. Fans produce a consistent ambient noise that can 'mask some of the lower-level fluctuations in background noise so that you're not alerted to those signals,' Norah Simpson, a clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, told The Washington Post. White noise may also make the ringing sound associated with tinnitus less noticeable. The audiological and neurological condition impacts approximately 10 percent of American adults, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. There are other more obvious benefits For one, fans can clear the air in a room. 'If you're blowing a fan on you to help you cool, that's great. But if you're in a stuffy room, you actually want the fan to blow out all the carbon dioxide that has built up in the room,' John Saito, spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, told The Post. Exposure to too much carbon dioxide in a room may put people at an increased risk of tiredness, headache, eye irritation, sore or dry throat, dizziness, and congestion. Secondly, fans cannot lower the temperature in the room, but they can make you feel more cool. Fans are able to cool people by displacing warmer air, and helping to evaporate sweat from the skin, according to NASA. Getting the seven hours of sleep adults need to stay healthy is greatly impacted during hot and humid summers. And the season is becoming even hotter due to the impacts of human-caused climate change. Hot and bothered Americans already lose over an hour of sleep each week in summer, according to SleepScore Labs, impacting an already shorter average sleep duration. 'In summer, the delta between the sleep we need and the sleep we get widens,' Nate Watson, SleepScore Labs' Sleep Advisory Board chair, told 'Warmer temperatures' impact on our ability to fall asleep along with increased social activities competing with sleep time are likely additional factors impacting these findings." Bear this in mind Oscillating fans prevent air flow from moving in just one direction, according to Healthline. The publication notes that fans can circulate dust and pollen, dry out your eyes and skin, and result in muscle aches. Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using fans only if indoor temperatures are less than 90 degrees. 'In temperatures above 90 degrees, a fan can increase body temperature,' the agency said. 'When you're sitting in front of a fan, it makes you feel cool. But just because you feel cool doesn't mean that it's exactly reducing the burden that your body faces,' Glen Kenny, a physiology professor at the University of Ottawa, told InsideClimate News.
USA Today
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
These controversial married influencers sleep in separate beds: The truth about ‘sleep divorce'
These controversial married influencers sleep in separate beds: The truth about 'sleep divorce' Is it OK for spouses to sleep in different beds? Some on TikTok don't think so. The social media platform erupted in debate after influencer Matt Howard revealed he's been sleeping on a mattress in a walk-closet, separate from his wife Abby, for his "mental health." The couple, who were high school sweethearts and rose to fame documenting their love story and family life online, have amassed 5.3 million followers on their joint TikTok account. "This decision that I made was something I had to do just to prioritize my mental health, because I was not OK," Matt says in a video with 2.8 million views. "I was really struggling. I was feeling awful, and that's why I'm here." TikTok users have posted their reactions, with many speculating there must be something deeper going on. "I'm sorry, but if my husband told me he couldn't sleep in the same bed with me and went as far as to sleeping in the closet because of his mental health, divorce would be looming," one TikToker says in a video with 2.4 million views. Surely if a couple doesn't sleep in the same bed, that must mean their relationship is in peril. Right? Not necessarily. 'Haters are irrelevant': Gwyneth Paltrow defends unorthodox living situation with Brad Falchuk Many couples choose not to sleep in the same bed. Here's why. Matt and Abby Howard have long been the subject of online scrutiny. That's to be expected − they are public figures after all. They're also far from the only public figures to sleep in different beds. Cameron Diaz and First Lady Melania Trump, for instance, have both said they sleep in separate beds from their spouses. Some celebrities have gone even further, revealing they've never even moved in with their spouse. Gwyneth Paltrow has shared she and her husband Brad Falchuk live in different houses, and "Abbott Elementary" star Sheryl Lee Ralph has said she and her husband Vincent Hughes live in different states. (She's in Los Angeles, while he's in Philadelphia.) Often called a "sleep divorce," sleeping separately might sound like a relationship red flag at first. After all, the marital bed is more than just a place where couples sleep and have sex; it's also a time-honored symbol of their very union. Experts, however, previously told USA TODAY there are many valid reasons for a "sleep divorce" that don't necessarily mean a couple's marriage is in jeopardy. Some common reasons include snoring, restlessness, parasomnia, frequent trips to the bathroom or incompatible sleep schedules. It's also a practice that's common: A 2012 survey by the Better Sleep Council and a 2017 survey from the National Sleep Foundation both showed 1 in 4 couples sleep in separate beds. But "there's still shame attached to it for some people because of how taboo the topic is," Dr. Meir Kryger, professor emeritus of medicine at Yale's School of Medicine and author of "The Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine," previously told USA TODAY. Kryger said no couple should feel embarrassed about the practice: "For a lot of couples, sleeping apart can be the best thing for their relationship." He also said "there's no research that suggests that couples who sleep apart for the purpose of better sleep have any less of a romantic connection than couples who share a bed." Cool: Can you control your sleep with a headband? I found out. When sleeping in different beds becomes a problem Of course, sometimes sleeping separately does spell problems for a relationship. "There are some couples for whom the decision to sleep apart is a sign of something awry in the relationship," Wendy Troxel, a senior behavioral scientist at the RAND Corp. and author of "Sharing the Covers: Every Couple's Guide to Better Sleep," previously told USA TODAY. It can also worry a couple's children, who may see their parents' separate sleeping as a sign of looming divorce. Kryger said he's met with families where children have felt embarrassed, insecure or concerned about their parents' sleeping arrangements. "Some kids have even wondered if their parents' decision to sleep apart means they're not in love anymore," he previously told USA TODAY. To prevent this, parents should have an honest talk with their kids about why they're sleeping separately and make sure to demonstrate their love for each other in other ways. "Children who observe their parents regularly holding hands, complimenting each other or snuggling together on the couch will find any insecurities they've felt quickly abated," Kryger said. It's also important for couples to know that, if they don't want to sleep separately, there are ways to overcome sleep incompatibility issues, even challenging ones. "Virtually every sleep problem has a solution," he said. "Many fixes are quite simple; other times, couples should seek professional help." Contributing: Daryl Austin
