Sleeping with a fan on, anyone else?

[dustin92]

Seeing the thread about white noise machines got me thinking, who here sleeps with a fan on and why? I've slept with a fan on for I'd guess 10 years or more, started one summer when our central a/c was on the fritz, got used to the sound and air movement and now I can't sleep without it. If we stay at someone's house or in a hotel, I have to bring a fan or I won't sleep. I switch between a fan and window air conditioner in the summer, depending on weather, and an oreck air purifier in the winter for a little less air movement. I sleep with my room cold, average 55-60 degrees in the winter and around 65 in the summer with 2 comforters year round, and a couple quilts added in the winter. I find a fan running blocks out some noise (house creaking, parents snoring, neighbor's dogs barking, traffic etc...) And helps me sleep better (I'm a very light sleeper) and the air movement helps me breathe a little easier. I know I'm not the only one, I know a few other people that also sleep with a fan all year. After this long, I don't know how anyone can sleep in a quiet room! If the power happens to go out, I don't sleep well if at all, and if I forget to turn it on, I notice almost immediately. Bad habit, probably!

 

[joeinfl]

I have for years. I like the white noise but I also like the air flow. I sleep better because I can breath better I think. I don't take one when I'm in a hotel but I do turn the fan to "on" instead of "auto" on the HVAC.

 

[washman]

24x7x365

Since 1978 or so.

Which is why I gravitated towards the US made Pattons and Lakewood Hi Velocity units. They were literally the ONLY ones that would hold up.  I've got a Patton with a US made McMillian motor that I have used continuously since 1995.

 

And yes, when I travel, I take one with me, albeit a smaller Air King 12 inch model.

 

It's either that or I gulp sleeping pills like no tomorrow. I'm a horrible sleeper.

 

[launderess]

Not a fan per se....

But air purifier runs 24/7 on "high". Suppose it is pretty much the same thing.

Here in NYC many persons run their AC on "fan" to help drown out the noise from street. It is hard on the AC and is the reason why so many need new units sooner than they should, but there you are.

 

[dartman]

I tend to use one during the summer, have one of those vertical triple fan jobs with a thermostat. During the winter window stays closed and double pane window and house is tight so very quiet inside.
It's quiet enough that one early morning a guy shot his girlfriend, crashed his car down our street and the cops cut the lock on my drive through gate and were checking my backyard looking for him. It never woke me up, I was pissed when I woke up and found my gate wide open, neighbor finally told me what happened as they had woke him up trying to get in his yard as they couldn't get his gate open. My sister lives here to and it didn't wake her up either.
Anyways I keep it cool here too so don't need to run it now and I always have a scanner on low to listen to the stuff happening around the area and fall asleep to it. Funny I never woke up and it was all done by the time I did. They never left a note, I even reported it as a yard break in online and no contact was ever made. I had to spend 26 bucks to replace the lock they cut. They wont be able to cut the new ones.

 

[gusherb]

I can't do a fan while sleeping as it dries my nose and mouth out. I will get cold too. There is a vent over my bed to the right of it that blows straight down, that's the most airflow I can handle. I barely feel it, with the A/C it's just a gentle cool breeze which feels good in the summer. In the winter with the heat it doesn't make things too hot.

As for the white noise factor, I like it quiet while I sleep. My ears get really sensitive when I'm sleeping and any sort of white noise gets fatiguing after awhile of sleeping. Also I start paying closer attention to any sounds that the fan is attempting to drown out. If its too noisy for some reason (rude, noisy people) I put ear plugs in.

 

[tolivac]

Yes,I use a fan and air purifier while sleeping.The sound muffles the neighbors constantly barking dogs.In earlier days when living in apartments the fan drowned out most of the neighbors noises.
On an AC unit-if it is fan only-the compressor will not be running-so the unit is actually being used as a "fan" This shouldn't cause harm.Have done this in motels.You hear the fan or blower running but not the compressor.

 

[tomturbomatic]

neighbors' dogs barking

One of the reasons I use a window unit in the bedroom and run it on just the fan in Spring and Fall. I don't know how people sleep through their dog barking unless they have white noise machines, too. Inconsiderate SOBs.

 

[tolivac]

I also have to sleep during the day since I work a midnight shift.Other noise can come in,too.Working mid shift while living in apartments was impossible.Like trying to sleep on a factory floor near the press!

 

[sudsmaster]

Never had to run a fan to get to sleep. But then I don't think I've tried it, either, although in the summer sometimes I'll have a window fan going in the bedroom. But it's thermostatically activated and I found the on/off cycles to be annoying.

One thing I've found helps get to sleep is to use high CRI index warm white LED bulbs in the bedroom area, and to switch the PC in the adjacent room to a warm color scheme. Apparently the blue component of daylight bulbs, daylight, and computers tends to interfere with circadian rhythms. The other trick is to brush teeth an hour or more before retiring. I've found brushing teeth tends to be a wake-up message and it's easier to fall asleep if it's not right before retiring.

Another hint, which I haven't tried, is to write down possible solutions for any nagging issues that might keep one awake. I read that in the AARP mag. Currently that problem tends to occur for me towards the end of the work week... so I'll have to try it.

 

[foraloysius]

I've tried it for a while, but it didn't work for me. I now use earplugs when necessary.

 

[firedome]

Yes...

must have fan for white noise, blocks out ear ringing, too many rock concerts?
Have fan will travel.

 

[fan-of-fans]

No, it dries my throat and nose out. I also have a ceiling fan but don't run it for the same reason. The one time I tried sleeping with a fan running it did seem easier to sleep, but I prefer a quiet room.

I have an a/c grille right above the head of my bed, and notice when the heat is on I wake up with a scratchy throat, although I point the louvers toward the foot of the bed.

I also cannot sleep well at all in a hotel room because of the noisy a/c units, especially the little motels at the beach with the window a/c units installed in the wall that have the fan running all the time. The better hotel-style units are a little quieter at least but still wake me up when they kick on

 

[michaelman2]

Fan or white noise

make sleeping so much better for me.    

 

[ozzie908]

Always have a fan

All year round cannot sleep without one always thought I could breathe easier being asthmatic with one on.
These days have to use a CPAP machine too so have got used to noise as has my other half who also maintains that if I did not have the CPAP on I would have drawn my last breath years ago as been a chronic snorer. So the white noise far outweighs the quiet lol

Austin

 

[warmsecondrinse]

I have a HEPA air filter going 24/7 if I'm home. I started using it to drown out the outside noise. Although it's quiet where I now live, I've gotten used to the white noise and the air flow.

That said, at least once a month I'll come home late from work, go to sleep, and not notice until the next day that I'd forgotten to turn it on. Go figure.

 

[artcurus]

this one. From about the 20's. It's in rough shape but works really nice.

 

[dustin92]

Very nice fan! I have several vintage ones floating around, mostly on display, but all are fully functional and I do use them during the summer. I have a 1925 Western Electric with brass blades that's all original and runs like new. Have to be careful where and when I use them, since we have curious cats, so I mainly use cheap newer ones, especially for my bedroom, since I've been known to get up in the morning and forget it's on until I get ready for bed the next night. Usually a 16" fan on low is the perfect level of noise and air movement. Fans do get used a lot around our house, regardless of season. We run ceiling fans in all rooms upstairs all summer, usually only turning them off to be cleaned. In the winter we run the living room one on low to keep the heat circulating, a HEPA air purifier in the living room and an oreck air purifier in my room. Love the oreck, it really does what it says it does, and never needs replacement filters, just wash the electronic cell. It says to clean it every 4-8 weeks, but it usually needs done every week or two. Always very dirty, and never any reason why! We vacuum usually once a day and nobody smokes indoors, just a dusty old house I guess!

 

[circlew]

That's a nice Diehl fan. It looks a lot like the one I have, which I think is from the mid 30's. It came from my dad's uncle's store, which he expanded at that time to include groceries in addition to meat.