Air conditioning is effecting my sleep

[DonniePeverley]

When in Thailand, the heat obviously lends to sleeping with the AC on all night. The system we have keeps air flowing, even when the temperature is reached. But my sleep is effected .... i wake up as if i've been 5 rounds with Mike Tyson. I literally feel hungover for 10-20 minutes getting up, such a heavy feeling. I'm not drinking alcohol or any drugs. 

 

I can only put it down to the a/c. Couple of times i've slept at mates in cooler temperature with just a fan and it's great.  

 

I am currently back in the UK, and the weather is cool. Sleeping much better. 

 

What's going on here ?

[actonion]

5 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

When in Thailand, the heat obviously lends to sleeping with the AC on all night. The system we have keeps air flowing, even when the temperature is reached. But my sleep is effected .... i wake up as if i've been 5 rounds with Mike Tyson. I literally feel hungover for 10-20 minutes getting up, such a heavy feeling. I'm not drinking alcohol or any drugs. 

 

I can only put it down to the a/c. Couple of times i've slept at mates in cooler temperature with just a fan and it's great.  

 

I am currently back in the UK, and the weather is cool. Sleeping much better. 

 

What's going on here ?

I had much the  same except waking many times with dry mouth / throat, i bought a humidifier, and it sems to have stopped the problem, as when i  forget to use it the waking up many times seems to return..

[Gsxrnz]

What temperature are you setting it at? Setting it too low at 18-23 means the unit rarely stops cooling and is constantly dehumidifying the air.

 

Set it higher, say 27 degrees. The unit will stop cooling more frequently, and humidified air from under doors and around windows will enter the room, adding sufficient humidity to stop your throat drying up.

 

Alternatively, leave a door or window partially open to allow the same effect. 

[DonniePeverley]

1 minute ago, Gsxrnz said:

What temperature are you setting it at? Setting it too low at 18-23 means the unit rarely stops cooling and is constantly dehumidifying the air.

 

Set it higher, say 27 degrees. The unit will stop cooling more frequently, and humidified air from under doors and around windows will enter the room, adding sufficient humidity to stop your throat drying up.

 

Alternatively, leave a door or window partially open to allow the same effect. 

 

 

It's usually set to around 23 degrees, sometimes 24 during these cooler days. I sometimes i am waking up around 1pm, so a/c on is vital. 

 

Opening window is not an option  during the evening usually due to mosquitos. I do air the room during the day though. 

 

The a/c system we have is meant to be one of these new eco effiencent ones. Personally i can't see how. Even when the temperature is reached, it keeps blowing. Apparently this is meant to be more efficient for the room. 

[DonniePeverley]

18 minutes ago, actonion said:

I had much the  same except waking many times with dry mouth / throat, i bought a humidifier, and it sems to have stopped the problem, as when i  forget to use it the waking up many times seems to return..

 

I will look into the humidifier issue. Honestly, back in the UK and no a/c system and waking up is a breeze. In Thailand even if i get my full quota of sleep i am waking up in such an extreme rough way. 

[Gsxrnz]

8 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

 

It's usually set to around 23 degrees, sometimes 24 during these cooler days. I sometimes i am waking up around 1pm, so a/c on is vital. 

 

Opening window is not an option  during the evening usually due to mosquitos. I do air the room during the day though. 

 

The a/c system we have is meant to be one of these new eco effiencent ones. Personally i can't see how. Even when the temperature is reached, it keeps blowing. Apparently this is meant to be more efficient for the room. 

 

Does your a/c have any special modes, such as a SLEEP mode, or ECO mode? What make and model?

 

Most recent units have settings to help overcome your specific problem, although setting the temperature higher is the better solution.

[Denim]

When using the air con most people close the windows and door. I find this leads to a lack of fresh breathable air ( oxygen ) in the room and I don't sleep well.  My solution is to leave the window open a little ( about an inch ) to let a little fresh air in. The curtain stops just past the open window so not much cool air escapes but I still get the fresh air. Seems to work for me. 

[DonniePeverley]

5 minutes ago, Denim said:

When using the air con most people close the windows and door. I find this leads to a lack of fresh breathable air ( oxygen ) in the room and I don't sleep well.  My solution is to leave the window open a little ( about an inch ) to let a little fresh air in. The curtain stops just past the open window so not much cool air escapes but I still get the fresh air. Seems to work for me. 

 

 

I think scientifically this is perhaps going down the right path ... the lack of oxygen in the room. 

[DonniePeverley]

6 minutes ago, Gsxrnz said:

 

Does your a/c have any special modes, such as a SLEEP mode, or ECO mode? What make and model?

 

Most recent units have settings to help overcome your specific problem, although setting the temperature higher is the better solution.

 

 

I will look on the remote for some sort of sleep mode. But i can't see it anything obvious. 

[john donson]

worse if you would sleep ok without aircon and the gf or wife wants it on all night and cover all up with a THICK winter blanket till the neck...

[novacova]

Another possibility could be mold in the a/c system. 

[scotty1286]

30 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

 

It's usually set to around 23 degrees, sometimes 24 during these cooler days. I sometimes i am waking up around 1pm, so a/c on is vital. 

 

Opening window is not an option  during the evening usually due to mosquitos. I do air the room during the day though. 

 

The a/c system we have is meant to be one of these new eco effiencent ones. Personally i can't see how. Even when the temperature is reached, it keeps blowing. Apparently this is meant to be more efficient for the room. 

Is it an invertor (DC Compressor) type or just a more efficient AC compressor type?

If invertor type then once the set temperature has been reach the compressor and fan will slow down to a very level to maintain the temperature, They are far superior (and cheaper to run) than conventional AC compressor types which are either fully on or fully off during load/unload conditions.

 

Air Cons themselves cannot reduce the amount of oxygen in the room as they are closed loop just recycling the same air in the room.

[Gsxrnz]

1 minute ago, john donson said:

worse if you would sleep ok without aircon and the gf or wife wants it on all night and cover all up with a THICK winter blanket till the neck...

 

I solved that problem - demoted her to the spare room, although she is always "on-call". I have to defrost her before use though.

 

A/c at 22 degrees, thick duvet, full-on pyjamas, and socks. Feels like a fridge when you walk in. 

 

I'm actually convinced that a lot of it is mind over matter - they think the lower the temperature the better.

 

I once looked for a hotel hack that can display a false temperature on the a/c. You set it at a desired temperature and no matter what the user adjusts the remote to, it stays at that temperature. Unfortunately all I could find is a hack that works on ducted or cassette systems.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, DonniePeverley said:

When in Thailand, the heat obviously lends to sleeping with the AC on all night. The system we have keeps air flowing, even when the temperature is reached. But my sleep is effected .... i wake up as if i've been 5 rounds with Mike Tyson. I literally feel hungover for 10-20 minutes getting up, such a heavy feeling. I'm not drinking alcohol or any drugs. 

 

I can only put it down to the a/c. Couple of times i've slept at mates in cooler temperature with just a fan and it's great.  

 

I am currently back in the UK, and the weather is cool. Sleeping much better. 

 

What's going on here ?

Turn the AC off just before going to sleep and use the fan. Don't have a blanket or duvet over you. A sheet was good enough for me.

I never slept with the AC on as I felt awful after sleeping with it on.

[thaibeachlovers]

11 minutes ago, scotty1286 said:

Air Cons themselves cannot reduce the amount of oxygen in the room as they are closed loop just recycling the same air in the room.

The older sort chilled air coming in from outside. Not everywhere has the sort you reference.

[OneMoreFarang]

52 minutes ago, Gsxrnz said:

What temperature are you setting it at? Setting it too low at 18-23 means the unit rarely stops cooling and is constantly dehumidifying the air.

 

Set it higher, say 27 degrees. The unit will stop cooling more frequently, and humidified air from under doors and around windows will enter the room, adding sufficient humidity to stop your throat drying up.

 

Alternatively, leave a door or window partially open to allow the same effect. 

 

At daytime my AC is mostly set to 24 degrees, the air flow to automatic sweeping left and right and up and down. Sometimes I feel a breeze of air over my skin, nice.

At nighttime I set it to 21 or 22 degrees but air only coming out of the AC horizontally along the ceiling so that the cool air is "coming down". That is comfortable for sleep and not disturbing.

Luckily my AC is very quiet, even on normal setting.

 

About the air quality, one reason might be a dirty AC. Maybe visible, maybe not. 

An AC which blows "dirty air" all over the room is certainly not good.

 

 

[Hummin]

How many liter of clean water do you drink on daily basis? Not coffe, alcohol or sugar drinks, clean water. Do you gave enough magnesium, sodium and potassium? In general electrolytes? 

 

A few glasses of fresh coconut water is great for electrolytes and banana.

[Will B Good]

 

 

In environments with poor ventilation, such as small bedrooms or spaces with little airflow, it’s essential to ensure proper air circulation. Opening windows, using fans, or even an air purifier can help increase oxygen levels and improve sleep quality.

[phetphet]

1 hour ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

 

It's usually set to around 23 degrees, sometimes 24 during these cooler days. I sometimes i am waking up around 1pm, so a/c on is vital. 

 

Opening window is not an option  during the evening usually due to mosquitos. I do air the room during the day though. 

 

The a/c system we have is meant to be one of these new eco effiencent ones. Personally i can't see how. Even when the temperature is reached, it keeps blowing. Apparently this is meant to be more efficient for the room. 

You might try leaving a saucer of water in the room. As air is cooled, it dries. Putting a saucer of water in the room can help reduce the dryness as it evaporates.

 

I normally put the air con on for half hour before I go to bed, then turn it off and just leave a fan on to circulate the air. In the hot season, I might wake up and turn it on again for a while if the room gets hot.

[mokwit]

Just now, Gsxrnz said:

 

Does your a/c have any special modes, such as a SLEEP mode, or ECO mode? What make and model?

 

Most recent units have settings to help overcome your specific problem, although setting the temperature higher is the better solution.

I had no idea this existed even though I now find it is one of the buttons on my AC remote. Will try it, waking up freezing cold is a problem.

[Lacessit]

At 23 C, the OP is breathing dehumidified air all night. It's no wonder he is waking up feeling terrible. He is dehydrating his lungs, and the mucous membranes of the nose and throat. Dryness makes one more vulnerable to infections, as well as coughing and congestion.

 

I have the aircon set at 28 C. I sleep with only a sheet. I rarely use the aircon unless it is really hot, a fan is sufficient most of the time.

 

The OP's answer is in his own post:

 

"Couple of times i've slept at mates in cooler temperature with just a fan and it's great".  

 

[Gsxrnz]

OP, I was bored today so I decided to conduct a semi-scientific a/c experiment for you.

 

I used my indoor/outdoor whether station.  Outside temp and humidity on the left, sensor is in a shaded open area. Inside Temp and humidity on the right. 

 

The inside sensor is set at 180 degrees to the a/c unit, and about 5 metres distance. Room size is about 45 sq.mtrs. 

 

A/C unit is a Daikin FTKM18NV2s at 17,700 BTU.

 

The time/date are not set correctly, but you can accept the time differentials from photo to photo.

Here are the readings after the a/c has been turned off for 10 hours and the room has been open to the outside atmosphere (glass sliding doors wide open) for about 3 hours. You will see the inside/outside readings are virtually the same.

 

 

 

I then closed the door and turned on the a/c set to 27 degrees. It took 15 minutes to achieve 27.3 degrees and 54% humidity.

It stayed at this reading for a constant 4 minutes.  That’s when I took the picture.

 

 

I then set a/c to 24 degrees. It took 27 minutes to reach 24.3 degrees and 38% humidity. It stayed there for a constant 4 minutes.

 

 

 

It was then that I escaped outdoors to defrost myself.

 

As you can see at 27 degrees the humidity is a comfortable 54%.  At 24 Degrees it drops to 38%

According to Wikipedia, the humidity in Antarctica ranges from 55 to 67 %.

It’s little wonder you suffer from a dry throat with a setting of 24 degrees and humidity lower than penguins are comfortable with.

[scubascuba3]

4 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

It's usually set to around 23 degrees, sometimes 24 during these cooler days

That's maybe too cold. Mine is set to 27 which actually is 24.5 to 26.5

[scotty1286]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The older sort chilled air coming in from outside. Not everywhere has the sort you reference.

Never seen this type, would be incredibly expensive to keep cooling hot outside air to blow into a cool room, that's why they recycle the cool air already inside the room. You would also need a good size air ducting from the outside to the indoor unit for the outside air to get to the chiller section.

[brianthainess]

5 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

 

It's usually set to around 23 degrees, sometimes 24 during these cooler days. I sometimes i am waking up around 1pm, so a/c on is vital. 

 

Opening window is not an option  during the evening usually due to mosquitos. I do air the room during the day though. 

 

The a/c system we have is meant to be one of these new eco effiencent ones. Personally i can't see how. Even when the temperature is reached, it keeps blowing. Apparently this is meant to be more efficient for the room. 

That is cold you'd be lucky to get any room down to 23 IMO, try 26.

[DonniePeverley]

10 hours ago, novacova said:

Another possibility could be mold in the a/c system. 

 

We have the AC cleaned every 3-4 months. 

[MarkBR]

11 hours ago, actonion said:

I had much the  same except waking many times with dry mouth / throat, i bought a humidifier, and it sems to have stopped the problem, as when i  forget to use it the waking up many times seems to return..

Switch to no AC but use fan(s), see if it makes a difference.  Fans are far more cost effective.

[orang37]

Switching to a fan was a game changer for me, it felt way more comfortable and less drying. And yeah, sleeping in cooler weather in the UK definitely helps. 

[Iron Tongue]

9 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

We have the AC cleaned every 3-4 months. 

Clean it monthly.  Run an air purifier in your BR if you have bad air.

 

How is the bed?  Is it as good as your UK one, or is it junk?  -I think bad sleep is more attributable to an uncomfortable mattress & pillows than cooled air.

[Dazinoz]

15 hours ago, scotty1286 said:

Never seen this type, would be incredibly expensive to keep cooling hot outside air to blow into a cool room, that's why they recycle the cool air already inside the room. You would also need a good size air ducting from the outside to the indoor unit for the outside air to get to the chiller section.

I think he is referring to the older style  through wall/window mount all in one units. Everything is in one box and no piping needed. Just needs a very large hole through the wall. I had a couple back in Oz before splits became cheap enough .They usually have a damper that can be set to open or closed. Closed the air recycles in the room as per a normal split unit, and open it lets some fresh cold air in from outside.

 

Pretty rare now but I did a quick search online and can still be purchased.