Can Adults Develop New Allergies?

Sign up for the Morning Brief email newsletter to get weekday updates from The Weather Channel and our meteorologists.

There's just something about a cool breeze blowing at night that makes slumber more peaceful – especially during summer heat waves.

But sleep experts say snoozing with a fan can cause an increase in allergies and other uncomfortable symptoms.

"As a fan moves air around the room, it causes flurries of dust and pollen to make their way into your sinuses," according to Sleep Advisor. "If you're prone to allergies, asthma and hay fever, this could stir up a whole lot of trouble."

(MORE: How Allergies Change As We Age)

A fan in a window can also pull pollen and other allergy triggers in from the outside.

Sleeping with a fan on might make some people more comfortable, especially if it blocks out noisy neighbors or cools off a room.

"There's nothing about a fan that's toxic," said Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, told Live Science. "There's nothing wrong with circulating air."

But Horovitz said a fan can dry out your mouth and nasal passages, exacerbating already irritated airways.

And dirty fan blades? That's a whole other story. Experts say you should clean them often to prevent adding more fuel to the allergy fire. Ceiling fan blades, especially, are notorious for collecting a layer of dust.

Sleep Advisor says a fan can dry out skin and eyes, and even cause stiff, achy muscles, although Horovitz said the latter can more often be caused by air conditioning.

The experts say most people don't need to avoid sleeping with a fan. Sleep Advisor recommends that if a fan is triggering your allergies or asthma, try getting one that rotates rather than blows directly on you, and, most importantly, keep it clean.

"Again, there’s no inherent danger in sleeping with something like this in your bedroom," Sleep Advisor said. "It’s a matter of preference and of finding the right one for your needs."

For up-to-date allergen levels for your area, check our allergy tracker.​