As New Yorkers sweat through relentless heat this summer, many are cranking up electric fans in a desperate bid for relief. The study, conducted by scientists in Australia and Canada, tested how electric fans affect older adults under both dry and humid heat conditions. Instead of cooling them down, fan use in dry heat caused participants\u2019 core body temperatures to rise by 0.5\u00b0F. They also reported feeling hotter and less comfortable. The second phase of the study focused on hot, humid conditions. This time, the researchers included 58 older adults \u2014 including 27 with a history of coronary artery disease, who had been excluded from the dry heat tests due to potential heart risks. Together, researchers say the findings challenge CDC guidelines that advise against using fans when temperatures exceed 90\u00b0F, citing a potential increase in body temperature and related health risks. Heat waves are becoming more frequent across major US cities \u2014 and more dangerous, as sweltering overnight temperatures offer little relief from the day\u2019s heat. In New York alone, more than 500 people die prematurely each summer due to extreme heat \u2014 the vast majority inside their homes without air conditioning. Q: Can fans make seniors hotter in extreme heat? Introduction to the Dangers of Fans in Extreme Heat As New Yorkers sweat through relentless heat this summer, many are cranking up electric fans in a desperate bid for relief. But a shocking new study throws cold water on the popular cooling fix, warning it could actually backfire for older adults under certain conditions. Researchers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":21026,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-21025","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health-wellness"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/newspress-collage-1a5o0entv-1754154339762.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&1754140045&w=1024&w=1024&resize=1024,682&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21025"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21025"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21025\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21027,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21025\/revisions\/21027"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21026"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21025"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21025"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21025"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nBut a shocking new study throws cold water on the popular cooling fix, warning it could actually backfire for older adults under certain conditions.
\nResearchers found that in some blistering environments, sitting in front of a fan can increase body temperature in seniors \u2014 putting grandma and grandpa at greater risk of heat stroke and other serious health problems.
\nThousands of people in the US suffer from heatstroke each year. SERHII \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/span><\/p>\nThe Study on Fans and Extreme Heat<\/h2>\n
\nIn the first phase, 31 adults aged 60 and older were exposed to hot, dry air \u2014 100.4\u00b0F with just 15% humidity \u2014 simulating severe indoor heatwave conditions.
\nEach participant completed four separate, three-hour sessions spaced at least 72 hours apart: fan only, skin wetting without a fan, skin wetting with a fan, and no intervention.<\/p>\nThe Effects of Fans in Dry Heat<\/h2>\n
\nThe findings suggest that, rather than cooling the body, the fan was actually pushing heat into it.
\nPrevious research from the same team found that fans used in hot, dry conditions tripled cardiac strain in older adults \u2014 a potentially deadly consequence for people with heart disease.
\nExtreme heat can exacerbate existing medical conditions and even accelerate aging. Felix Mizioznikov \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/span>
\n\u201cIn very hot and dry heat, fan use worsened all outcomes and should be discouraged for these conditions,\u201d the study authors wrote.<\/p>\nThe Effects of Fans in Humid Heat<\/h2>\n
\nIn these tests, room temperatures again reached 100.4\u00b0F, but with 60% humidity.
\nUnlike in dry heat, fan use in humid conditions slightly lowered participants\u2019 core temperatures by an average of 0.18\u00b0F. It also boosted sweating and made participants feel cooler and more comfortable overall.
\nAn earlier study by the same team showed that fans \u2014 with or without skin wetting \u2014 also helped reduce cardiac strain under similar humid conditions.
\nStudies suggest roughly 9 out of 10 homes in the US have some form of air conditioning. Satjawat \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/span><\/p>\nImplications of the Study<\/h2>\n
\n\u201cWhile air conditioning is an effective way of staying cool, it\u2019s not available to everyone, especially those most vulnerable to the heat such as the elderly and people with heart disease \u2014 so it\u2019s positive news that low-cost alternatives are effective, Dr. Daniel Gagnon, a researcher at the Montreal Heart Institute and co-author of both studies, said last year.
\n\u201cImportantly, the study has shown that the weather conditions affect the type of cooling strategy that should be used \u2014 a vital piece of information that will help older people to stay safe in heatwaves,\u201d he added.
\nExtreme heat events are becoming more frequent and intense in the US. G\u00fcnter Albers \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/span><\/p>\nThe Reality of Heat-Related Illnesses<\/h2>\n
\nEach year, an estimated 60,000 Americans end up in the emergency room due to heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke \u2014 and more than 13% of those cases require hospitalization, according American Medical Association.
\nIn New York City, the danger is already playing out. On June 25, a record-breaking 99\u00b0F scorcher sent 141 people to emergency rooms with heat-related issues \u2014 the highest single-day total since 2017.
\nExtreme heat is the deadliest weather-related hazard in the US, with more than 14,000 deaths directly linked to heat since 1979. But experts warn the true toll may be far higher, as heat is often underreported or overlooked as a contributing factor.<\/p>\nConclusion<\/h2>\n
\nThe city operates cooling centers to help vulnerable residents, but for those relying on electric fans at home, the new research makes one thing clear: check the humidity.
\nIf it\u2019s dry, that fan could leave you even hotter than before.<\/p>\nFAQs<\/h2>\n
\nA: Yes, according to a new study, fans can increase body temperature in seniors in dry heat conditions.
\nQ: What are the conditions under which fans can be harmful?
\nA: Fans can be harmful in hot, dry conditions, where they can push heat into the body instead of cooling it down.
\nQ: What are the alternatives to fans in extreme heat?
\nA: Air conditioning is an effective way to stay cool, but low-cost alternatives like skin wetting and using fans in humid conditions can also be effective.
\nQ: How can seniors stay safe in heatwaves?
\nA: Seniors can stay safe by checking the humidity, using fans in humid conditions, and seeking alternative cooling methods like cooling centers or air conditioning.
\nQ: What are the risks of heat-related illnesses?
\nA: Heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke can be deadly, especially for vulnerable populations like the elderly and those with heart disease.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"