Fan settings studied
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While electric fans may feel like lifesavers in summer, for older adults facing extreme indoor heat, they offer little to no physiological benefit.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that fans are not effective cooling tools for adults aged 65 and older, who struggle to regulate their body temperature on scorching days due to reduced sweating ability.
Researchers from Griffith University exposed 18 older adults to a simulated indoor environment replicating a typical Queensland summer: 36°C with 45% humidity.
Over three separate days, participants endured this stifling heat with no fan, a fan on average speed, and a high-speed fan.
Despite the fan’s efforts, participants’ average core body temperature hovered at a toasty 38.3°C, and heart rates remained elevated at 100 beats per minute in all conditions.
Lead researcher Dr Fergus O’Connor says that fans can only do so much when the body itself lacks natural cooling mechanisms.
“As we age, we lose our ability to sweat, which limits the effectiveness of electric fans,” he said.
“This can start happening from our 30s or 40s, but by our 60s, there’s a significant impairment.”
The study highlights a dual challenge for older adults in the heat. Not only is their ability to sweat reduced, but they also have a diminished sense of heat stress, which can lead to serious health risks, from heat cramps to full-blown heatstroke.
Heat waves are Australia’s deadliest type of natural disaster, with over 100 deaths each year in Queensland alone attributed to extreme heat exposure.
“As we face more frequent heat events, these findings highlight the need for sustainable, effective cooling interventions that specifically address the physiological needs of older adults,” Dr O’Connor noted.
“Particularly in southern states where temperatures can reach around 42°C with low humidity, fans merely push hot air across dry skin, exacerbating the heat effect.”
For those hesitant to crank up the air conditioner due to high electricity costs, Dr. O’Connor offers a practical solution: use air conditioning moderately.
“Instead of setting low temperatures and trying to fill the house with an arctic blast, set the temperature a little higher, around 26 or 28 degrees. Using the air con at a higher temperature in conjunction with a fan is going to provide cooling relief and significantly reduce the cost of operating the air conditioner.”
The full study is accessible here.
