During sweltering heat, people often retreat indoors to air-conditioned spaces. While providing relief, air conditioning can also cause "air-conditioning sickness." Family Doctor Online interviewed Dr. Lin Yanzhao, Chief Physician at the Preventive Medicine Center of Guangdong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. She emphasized that using air conditioning should be done scientifically and in moderation—controlling room temperature and duration. Additionally, maintaining daily health practices, regular exercise, and strengthening physical fitness are fundamental measures to prevent and treat "air-conditioning sickness."
Dr. Lin Yanzhao, Chief Physician, Preventive Medicine Center, Guangdong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Maintain Consistent Room Temperature with Minimal Fluctuations
Many people not only enjoy prolonged stays in air-conditioned rooms but also prefer setting the temperature very low.Dr. Lin Yan Zhao advised Family Doctor Online editors that room temperature should be set at the most comfortable level for the human body, ideally around 27°C. She also emphasized that the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors should not be excessive, preferably not exceeding 6°C. Otherwise, the sudden shifts in temperature when moving in and out of air-conditioned rooms can easily lead to illness.
Control air conditioning duration and ensure air circulation
While some find repeatedly turning the AC on and off inconvenient, it is an effective way to prevent "air conditioning sickness." Dr. Lin Yan Zhao emphasizes that air conditioning should not run continuously from morning to night. Remember to open windows periodically to expel stale indoor air, allowing fresh outdoor air to enter and promote air circulation, thereby maintaining indoor air quality.
Maintain outdoor activities to relax mind and body
Prolonged exposure to air-conditioned environments can disrupt the body's qi and blood circulation, potentially exacerbating existing health issues. Consistent exercise is therefore crucial. Dr. Lin Yan Zhao recommends engaging in physical activities like jogging or playing sports during cooler morning or evening hours to induce light perspiration.Additionally, office workers should stand up and move around every 1-2 hours during work hours. This promotes blood circulation, relaxes muscles and joints, and improves mood, all of which are highly beneficial for preventing and treating air-conditioning illness.
Dietary Adjustments to Ward Off Cold: Try a Cup of Ginger Tea
The cold air from air conditioning can enter the body through skin pores. Once accumulated internally, it becomes a health hazard.Therefore, incorporating warming foods into your daily diet can effectively prevent and treat "air-conditioning sickness." Among these, ginger stands out as the most potent cold-dispelling ingredient.
The folk saying "eat radishes in winter, ginger in summer" reflects traditional wisdom. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recognizes ginger's three primary benefits: inducing perspiration to expel pathogens, warming the stomach to stop vomiting, and detoxifying. Dr. Lin Yanzhao, Chief Physician, recommends regularly drinking ginger soup or brewing ginger tea to help expel internal cold.Ginger has few contraindications and suits most constitutions. However, consumption should be paused if experiencing symptoms like sore throat or mouth ulcers, which indicate internal heat. For those sensitive to ginger's pungency, soaking it in sugar and vinegar creates an appetizing pre-meal snack. Additionally, Dr. Lin Yan-Zhao recommends a well-known soup: Bak Kut Teh.Though named "tea," Bak Kut Teh is essentially a medicinal pork rib soup. It involves simmering Chinese herbs, spices, and pork ribs for an extended period, allowing the herbal flavors to permeate the meat. Containing ingredients like longan, goji berries, dried tangerine peel, and angelica root, along with spices such as star anise, cassia bark, and black pepper, it offers benefits like dispelling cold, promoting blood circulation, and tonifying qi and kidneys. It also helps prevent "air-conditioning sickness."
Dress appropriately to stay warm and avoid direct cold drafts
Joints and the spleen-stomach area are most susceptible to cold exposure. Women should minimize or avoid wearing shorts or strapless dresses in air-conditioned spaces. Carrying a shawl or lightweight blanket provides extra warmth for the shoulders, neck, and knees.Experts advise that women during menstruation should prioritize abdominal warmth. Daily self-moxibustion on acupoints like Guanyuan (CV4) and the Eight Liang Points on the back can effectively alleviate gynecological issues like menstrual cramps caused by cold exposure.
Additionally, avoid standing directly in the airflow for instant cooling. Strong drafts rapidly lower body temperature, causing blood vessels to constrict and increasing susceptibility to colds, allergic rhinitis, and other discomforts. When using air conditioning, opt for oscillating airflow or direct the vents upward.
Regularly Clean Your Air Conditioner to Prevent Germ Growth
Prioritizing air conditioner maintenance is crucial for preventing "air conditioner sickness," yet it's often overlooked. Units left uncleaned for extended periods accumulate dust, bacteria, and other microorganisms on filters and heat exchangers. When activated, these particles are inhaled, posing the highest risk for respiratory illnesses.Chief Physician Lin Yanzhao advises cleaning air conditioners every 2-3 months during peak usage periods and performing thorough cleaning and disinfection before first use in seasonal transitions.
While not a true medical condition, "air conditioner sickness" can cause significant discomfort.Chief Physician Lin Yanzhao suggests that if symptoms of "air conditioner sickness" have already appeared, simple traditional Chinese medicine treatments can be used to alleviate discomfort. These include herbal medicine regulation, gua sha, acupuncture, and massage, which have the effects of unblocking meridians, dispelling wind and cold, promoting qi circulation, and activating blood flow. They help improve the body's constitution and enhance immunity, thereby resisting the onslaught of "air conditioner sickness."
Expert Profile:
Lin Yanzhao, Chief Physician, Master's Supervisor, and inheritor of nationally renowned traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.Currently serves as Director of the Preventive Medicine Center at Guangdong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, concurrently holding positions as Committee Member of the TCM Constitution Branch of the Chinese Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Vice Chairperson of the Preventive Medicine Professional Committee of the Guangdong Health Care Association, and Vice Chairperson of the Health Promotion Working Committee of the Guangdong Medical Association. Leads the key specialty and cultivation discipline of "TCM Preventive Health Care." Specializes in managing sub-health conditions such as chronic fatigue, susceptibility to colds due to physical weakness, sweating disorders, insomnia, allergies, and gastrointestinal disease rehabilitation.