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New Delhi. In today’s era, air conditioner (AC) has become our biggest need to get relief from the scorching heat and scorching sun. Be it home or office, nowadays people are spending hours in the cool air of AC. But health experts have warned that excessive use of AC acts as ‘slow poison’ for our body.

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According to health experts, staying in an air-conditioned environment for a long time can cause many problems. AC absorbs water from the air, due to which our body unknowingly starts losing moisture, which can also lead to dehydration. In such a situation, not drinking enough water can cause headache, fatigue and lethargy. Apart from this, cold air causes stiffness in joints and muscles. Due to which the problem of joint pain, back pain and cervical pain may increase.

The dry air of air conditioner (AC) dries up the mucus membrane of our nose and throat, due to which the risk of cough, nasal congestion and sinus also increases. Also, due to dirty filters, bacteria and fungi can enter the air and worsen the condition of asthma patients. AC can reduce the humidity of the environment by 30 percent, due to which dryness occurs in the skin and eyes and the skin becomes dry and starts cracking. Apart from this, there are common complaints of eye irritation and dry eye syndrome.

Extremely cold temperatures can also greatly slow down the body’s metabolic rate, increasing the chances of weight gain. Apart from this, suddenly entering a cold room after coming from the scorching heat outside can also cause temperature shock which affects the body’s defense system, which can also lead to fever and cold.

What is sick building syndrome?

Experts say that in offices that do not have proper ventilation, employees who work in AC for long periods experience headaches, dizziness and lack of concentration. This symptom is called ‘sick building syndrome’. Keeping this in mind, doctors have advised to always keep the temperature of AC between 24°C to 26°C and keep cleaning the AC filter regularly so that harmful bacteria do not take birth. Apart from this, keep drinking water regularly even if you do not feel thirsty and keep switching off the AC and opening the windows from time to time so that fresh and clean air can circulate.

Report: Sushil Kumar Sah