How to Improve Ventilation in a Stuffy Bedroom

Nobody likes a room with stale air.

It is the worst feeling when you walk into your bedroom for bedtime and you get “punched” in the nose with stuffy air.

However, if you don’t have windows in your bedroom, lack good ventilation or the house has bad air circulation you might feel it’s impossible to improve the air quality.

Fortunately, even with no ventilation and windows, there are a few things that might improve the ventilation and air quality in your bedroom.

This article summarizes a few easy and quick techniques to get your bedroom ventilated and fresh in no time.

bedroom ventilation

Negative Impact on Sleep in a Poorly Ventilated Bedroom

An unpleasant smell is not the only unwanted effect in a poorly ventilated room. There are more negative outcomes for your health in the long run.

Discomfort When Falling Asleep

This environment affects the quality of your sleep and may lead to breathing problems.

Additionally, the room temperature rises when there is no ventilation. Most people find it uncomfortable to sleep in an overheated bedroom. Musky and still air in combination with warm temperatures make you feel more suffocated than relaxed. If you sense the smell but no mold, there might be other factors at play.

Mold Growth Can Set Off Allergies

If little to no air moves in and out of your room through windows, the humidity will build up. Combined with stale air and warm temperatures, you have the perfect conditions for mold growth in your bedroom.

Sleep in a mold-infested environment is dangerous for your health, says sleep expert & mattress manufacturer expert Jonathan Prichard. When mold grows, it releases spores in the air, which are mold seeds.

If they get into the body, the spores might cause allergies with symptoms such as irritated throat, runny nose, watery and itchy eyes, and many more. When you are near to mold growth for a lengthy period of time, you might get sick.

High Levels of Carbon Dioxide Are Dangerous for Your Health

When we breathe, we exhale CO2. If you don’t ventilate a room at all, the CO2 levels might get abnormally high and cause damage to your health.

Various studies advise that if you accommodate areas with high levels of CO2, you may experience harmful effects on sleep quality. A high concentration of CO2 in your bedroom leads to dizziness, fatigue, and headaches.

Improve Ventilation with Windows in Your Bedroom

A poorly ventilated bedroom imposes serious health risks.

Though, if your bedroom has windows, the problem is easy to fix. Just open them up! Preferably, if you have a fan that can fit in your window frame, use it to push fresh air from outside into the room.

Improve Ventilation If There Are NO Windows in Your Bedroom

If you don’t have windows in your bedroom, there is a high probability that the room has poor ventilation. In this case, it is important to keep good airflow within your room.

Open Your Room’s Door and the Windows in Other Rooms of the House

It is critical to have your door wide open if you sleep in a room with no windows. When you keep the door shut in a closed-off room, you’ll cut off even the little air circulation that gets in.

In a closed room, mold and mildew are more likely to grow, and CO2 levels might reach unhealthy high levels as you sleep.

Remember to keep your door open at all times. Shut it closed only if you really have to.

Also, keep the windows in other rooms of the house open to ensure fresh airflow.

bedroom fan on table

Put Unused Fans Into Good Use

Now that you have opened all windows and propped your bedroom door, find some fans.

Box fans are good for this case. If you don’t have any of this size, regular fans will suffice.
The more fans the better, but have in mind that even with two air circulation significantly changes. Position the first one to point towards the room so it can push fresh air in and locate it on the side of your doorway. The second fan should be on the opposite inner side of the open doorway and push air out of your room.

If you have only one fan, use it to blow air into the bedroom. It will still make an enormous difference in air quality.

Additional Measures to Improve the Air Quality in a Poorly Ventilated Room

Get an Air Purifier or Dehumidifier

  • Air purifiers filter and clean indoor air. These devices have a system of fans, filters, and some even have UV lights. They work together to pull the “bad air” from your home, filter airborne particles such as dust and pollen, and kill bacteria. Air purifiers refresh and even move some of the stale air in your room.
  • Dehumidifiers remove the humidity that builds up in a closed environment. Dehumidifiers extract the moisture from the air through a condensation process. Moisture condenses on a cold surface inside the device, the same way water condenses on a cold glass of lemonade in summer.

Keep the Room Cool

If you put fans in your bedroom, you shouldn’t worry that much about the temperature of the room.

Nonetheless, if it is mid-summer, you need to make sure the room is nice and cool. The air in warmer rooms feels more thick and stuffy than in a cool ventilated one. Mold and dust mites are likely to grow in warmer unventilated environments.

With that said, if you have an HVAC system, definitely use it.

Air Fresheners

According to essential oils expert Yuri, diffusers or basic air fresheners won’t help with air ventilation. However, if your rooms still smell funky after you installed fans and opened windows in other rooms, it might be a splendid idea to try one of these air fresheners to freshen up the room.

Last Thoughts

It is an essential task to keep your bedroom well ventilated and with good air circulation, especially while you sleep.

Unfortunately, to achieve good air circulation in a room with no windows and no ventilation can be a challenge.

Regardless, with the right approach and a bit of ingenuity, the circulation of fresh air in your room is possible for the sake of the good night’s sleep.

Dmitri Kara

Dmitri Kara

Started writing as a jack of all trades in 2012 and is currently a recognized expert in a wide range of domestic and commercial trade topics. Dmitri has appeared for quite a few reputable outlets such as Today.com, Telegraph.co.uk, ReadersDigest.com, Reviews.com, IkeaHackers.net, and many more.