Sleeping with open window makes you sick?

[Leonhard]

I have a neighbor upstairs who smokes quite a bit so I've started to open my window during the night and turn off the radiator. That clears away the smell of cigarette smoke that drifts down, but I tend to roll around a lot in my sleep and thrown off my blanket. This morning I woke up with my entire chest being exposed and cold, and I've a building icky feeling all day.

And now yup a fever and aching joints. :sick:

Is it particularly unhealthy to sleep with an open window?

[Cow Poke]

Only if you live in a high crime area, or have high concentrations of smog, pollen, dirt, mosquitoes, or if there's kudzoo growing in your neighborhood.

(Odd that the smoke would "drift down"?)

[Leonhard]

Only if you live in a high crime area, or have high concentrations of smog, pollen, dirt, mosquitoes, or if there's kudzoo growing in your neighborhood.

(Odd that the smoke would "drift down"?)

I have no idea why it gets down here. I'm on the lowest floor, and only the basement is below me. Maybe there's a draft of some kind? He's a very heavy smoker, as in multiple packs per day, and night for that matter (I remember waking up to my bed room smelling like an ashtray at 3am... went outside, and yup that light was in his window).

I've sleep in my living room most days because it doesn't get as bad there.

But eh, I was tired of being an exile from my bedroom (which - unless the windows are open - smells like stale smoke, ash and tar). I tried sleeping with the windows open, but it seems to have made me ill.

[DesertBerean]

Here in most places I know of they forbid smoking in apartments for just that reason. Apart from the secondhand smoke issues, it's a very very expensive nightmare cleaning out the smoker's apartment. I don't want to even visualize what that guy's place must look like.

I would discuss this with your manager? Concierge? Landlord?

The only dangers are exactly what CP said. In addition, out here, we can get a whole bunch of sand in the house from a "dust devil" or sandstorm. I don't think you would have that concern though.

[Teallaura]

I have no idea why it gets down here. I'm on the lowest floor, and only the basement is below me. Maybe there's a draft of some kind? He's a very heavy smoker, as in multiple packs per day, and night for that matter (I remember waking up to my bed room smelling like an ashtray at 3am... went outside, and yup that light was in his window).

I've sleep in my living room most days because it doesn't get as bad there.

But eh, I was tired of being an exile from my bedroom (which - unless the windows are open - smells like stale smoke, ash and tar). I tried sleeping with the windows open, but it seems to have made me ill.

Look, Mr Science, you don't get to fall for old wive's tales.

Open windows are not unhealthy. If you aren't used to the change in humidity then you might very well notice a dry throat and mild congestion on waking because cold, dry air can irritate nasal passages.

But getting sick requires the assistance of another human being to supply either germs or a virus.


You skipped out of biology class, didn't you?

[rogue06]

Look, Mr Science, you don't get to fall for old wive's tales.

Open windows are not unhealthy. If you aren't used to the change in humidity then you might very well notice a dry throat and mild congestion on waking because cold, dry air can irritate nasal passages.

But getting sick requires the assistance of another human being to supply either germs or a virus.


You skipped out of biology class, didn't you?

Be nice now. He was asking not asserting.

[Teallaura]

I have no idea why it gets down here. I'm on the lowest floor, and only the basement is below me. Maybe there's a draft of some kind? He's a very heavy smoker, as in multiple packs per day, and night for that matter (I remember waking up to my bed room smelling like an ashtray at 3am... went outside, and yup that light was in his window).

I've sleep in my living room most days because it doesn't get as bad there.

But eh, I was tired of being an exile from my bedroom (which - unless the windows are open - smells like stale smoke, ash and tar). I tried sleeping with the windows open, but it seems to have made me ill.

Particles are heavier than air. Heat will cause them to rise until the heat is lost then gravity takes over.



You have the flu or something - or the world is coming to an end 'cause I'm explaining science to you! Get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids.



Although now might be a good time to invest in tinfoil hats....

[Teallaura]

Be nice now. He was asking not asserting.

I think he's an imposter! or an imposter? Impotter?


Dang this new fangled speling anyway...

[DesertBerean]

Lol....seriously, Leonhard, have a chat with whoever is in charge in your building. Surely they have rules about this?

[shunyadragon]

I have a neighbor upstairs who smokes quite a bit so I've started to open my window during the night and turn off the radiator. That clears away the smell of cigarette smoke that drifts down, but I tend to roll around a lot in my sleep and thrown off my blanket. This morning I woke up with my entire chest being exposed and cold, and I've a building icky feeling all day.

And now yup a fever and aching joints. :sick:

Is it particularly unhealthy to sleep with an open window?

It depends on where you live and if you have allergies. I would not sleep with the windows open in New York nor Beijing. I do not have significant allergies, therefore I do not have a problem with sleeping with the window open in rural North Carolina.

[Sparko]

Lol....seriously, Leonhard, have a chat with whoever is in charge in your building. Surely they have rules about this?

is that a california thing? because anywhere else in the world, if someone told you whether you can smoke in your own home or not, would be told to stick it where the sun don't shine.

[DesertBerean]

is that a california thing? because anywhere else in the world, if someone told you whether you can smoke in your own home or not, would be told to stick it where the sun don't shine.

APARTMENTS. I don't know about places where you can own a condo, but where ever one rents, there's usually a rule that at least says you got to smoke outside.

[Sparko]

APARTMENTS. I don't know about places where you can own a condo, but where ever one rents, there's usually a rule that at least says you got to smoke outside.

not anywhere I have seen.

[Leonhard]

Look, Mr Science, you don't get to fall for old wive's tales.

Open windows are not unhealthy. If you aren't used to the change in humidity then you might very well notice a dry throat and mild congestion on waking because cold, dry air can irritate nasal passages.

But getting sick requires the assistance of another human being to supply either germs or a virus.

Cough... cough... *pleghm* ... cough... sorry...

You skipped out of biology class, didn't you?

That's the big reason I switched to studying physics and computer science. Biology was too complex and messy.

[Leonhard]

is that a california thing? because anywhere else in the world, if someone told you whether you can smoke in your own home or not, would be told to stick it where the sun don't shine.

Pretty much that's the way it is in Denmark. There's no law prohibiting someone from smoking heavily, even if the smoke drifts into his neighbors living spaces. That's their problem, not his. And even if there was a law like that I'm not sure I'd invoke it. I believe people have the freedom to smoke if that's what makes them happy.

Individual landlords can lay down whether or not smoking inside apartments is permitted. An increasing number prohibits it since it makes the apartment harder to sell afterwards, and its expensive to clean sufficiently if the smoker was a heavy smoker.

I had a neighborly chat with him, and he's agreed to open his windows while smoking. That's made it better, but the stench still builds up if I close mine. I'll talk to the janitor and see if I can't figure out how the smoke gets down to where I am, and whether we can't seal that connection somehow.