Has anyone else noticed that it’s a little… warm right now? Like, really warm? And for many, this deep humidity can have a major impact on sleep – after all, having a bedroom that’s part-snooze station and part-sauna can be pretty uncomfortable. The obvious solution for sleeping in the heat? A fan! Right? Erm, unfortunately (and we hate to be the ones to break this to you) some experts are actually warning against sleeping with a fan on.
According to Sleep Advisor, sleeping with a fan on might not always be a great idea for health-related reasons, as although having a fan on will circulate air to make your room cooler and fresher, it can also circulate pollen and dust. Which isn’t ideal if you suffer from allergies, asthma or hay fever (which has also ramped up for many at this time of year).
“Take a close look at your fan,” the Sleep Advisor suggests. “If it’s been collecting dust on the blades, those particles are flying through the air every time you turn it on.”
Other reasons not to sleep with a fan on include the fact that it can dry out your skin, as well as your nasal passages, and if your nasal passages become too dry, Sleep Advisor warns that the body can produce excess mucous, making you feel all bunged up come morning time. Not ideal…
And then there’s muscle cramping. “People who sleep with a breeze directly on them may wake up with stiff or sore muscles. This is because the concentrated cool air can make muscles tense up and cramp,” the experts explain. “This problem is especially common for people who sleep with it near their face and neck. If you’ve been waking up with a stiff neck in the morning, it might be because of the constant breeze.”
On the flip-side, the article does point out that fans in the bedroom can work well for people as provide comforting white noise to help people drift off to sleep when it’s stuffy.
But if you’re prone to allergies, it could be worth trying other options like a cool flannel in a bowl of water near your bed, or sleeping on top of the covers with the window open. Happy sweating either way, folks!
The Architectural Ingenuity Of Elevated Storage In Vintage Homes
Consider entering your grandparents’ home, where every room had a story to tell and every corner possessed a relic. Of these, the oil lamp shelves placed on the walls to this day will make you feel the warmth that you used to experience while reading under them. These shelves, which were an important part of the early twentieth-century houses, were not just practical – they were a symbol of a time when the light of an oil lamp would unite family members in the evening.
Usually wooden or metallic, oil lamp shelves were commonly located in various parts of the house to ensure the light’s effectiveness. These shelves were frequently located on walls in the living room, bedrooms, and hallways. They were not randomly placed; they were strategically positioned to ensure that there was enough light for activities done in the evening such as reading, sewing or even family meetings.
The form of these shelves or niches was quite diverse, ranging from flat ledges to more complex constructions complete with guardrails to avoid lamp tip overs. In wealthier homes, these shelves may have been elaborately decorated or even incorporated into the design of the room, complete with carved-out niches and fancy trim that matched the rest of the house.
This was because oil lamps presented a fire risk due to the exposed flame. Shelves for oil lamps were therefore intended to keep the lamps stowed away from the everyday activities in the house while at the same time letting in the light. These were usually located in positions that were not easily accessible to children and not close to curtains or any other combustible material. This tactical positioning ensured that risks of fire breakouts were reduced to the barest minimum while issuing adequate light.
The existence of oil lamp shelves in old houses gives us an insight into the lifestyles and the technological advancements that were available at the time. Lighting was an important part of people’s lives before the use of gas and electric lights and this meant that the management of lighting was an important part of the daily routine and architecture. These shelves were an important part of the interior design and showed how people of that time managed to optimize the use of living spaces.
Today, oil lamp shelves in historic homes are kept for both their functionality and their historical and cultural value. In the modern homes where such shelves have been installed, they are used for storing candles, plant among other items to enhance the beauty of the house. This is because preservation measures always aim at preserving the original construction features and the material used in the construction in this case the design of the period.
Therefore, the shelves for oil lamps in old houses are not only practical furniture pieces, but they are also a symbol of the creativity of the previous generations and a link to the tangible world of the past. Such details give us ideas about the changes that were made by our ancestors and make us reflect on how these architectural landmarks should be preserved.
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