In the hot summer months in the Arabian Gulf, air conditioning is not a luxury, it is a necessity. For the most part, our buildings are efficient and cool, ensuring that we are nice and chilled when the temperature outside is soaring. But a new study from the United States finds that too much air conditioning could actually be making us stupid.
According to research carried out at Harvard, excessive exposure to CO2 diminished office employees’ cognitive scores. Spending too much time inside closed air-conditioned environments without a proper amount of fresh air has a damaging effect on our ability to think clearly. Air conditioning is not popular in parts of Europe, even when the heat and humidity of summer can make life uncomfortable.
The best solution is to ensure ventilation units are clean and to regularly open windows for a blast of fresh air. Next time you are feeling sluggish at work, having a breath of fresh air may just bring you back to life.