Depending on where you live and the time of year, humidity can be fickle. One day humidity levels may be through the roof and you feel like you’re suffocating. The next, the air might be so dry your hands start to crack and your sinuses clog. Maintaining just the right amount of humidity in your home is tricky, but sometimes all you need is a good humidifier to make all the difference.
While you shouldn’t have a humidifier on in your home all day everyday (you don’t want too much moisture in the air), using one on a regular basis when the air gets dry has some major advantages for your health and wellness. Check it out!
1) Prevent and moisturize dry skin.
The moisture added to the air when you use a humidifier can help rehydrate dry skin naturally and maintain those hydration levels consistently. Proper skin hydration helps prevent and relieve cracking, wrinkling, flakiness, dryness, and irritation in general. Along those same lines, humidifiers can also help soothe dry eyes and chapped lips, and keep your hair and scalp healthy and well-moisturized!
2) Treat sinus issues.
Low levels of humidity often dry out your sinuses, which can lead to sinus discomfort, pressure, congestion, and even bloody noses. When your mucus dries out, it thickens and blocks your nasal passages. Using a humidifier to increase moisture in the air you breathe helps to break up that phlegm and keep your mucus moving. It also eases sinus pain and pressure caused by that blockage and excessive dryness.
3) Soothe your throat.
Just like your skin and sinuses, a lack of moisture in the air makes your throat feel dry and scratchy, and can lead to painful inflammation as well. Keeping your throat lubricated will help prevent this dryness and irritation. Plus, since dryness and inflammation of the mouth, nose, and throat often contribute to snoring, using a humidifier while you sleep can reduce that as well.
4) Protection against cold and flu.
Did you know that cold and flu germs survive longer and spread more easily in lower levels of humidity? Studies have found that these types of airborne viruses don’t do as well in environments with a relative humidity greater than 43%. This is because the virus particles combine with the moisture in the air and become too heavy to travel, so they drop instead and are less likely to transmit to you!
5) Help alleviate cold and flu symptoms.
If you do have the misfortune of falling ill during cold and flu season—or even suffering with similar effects from allergies—a humidifier can help ease your symptoms and speed up your road to recovery. As we’ve already mentioned, added moisture in the air helps to lubricate your nose and throat, making it easier to breathe and reducing sinus pain, pressure, and congestion. Humidifiers also promote more restful sleep when you’re grappling with these symptoms by preventing mucus build up as you’re laying down during the night.
If you’re dealing with acute or chronic respiratory issues, or just looking for a little relief from the dry air, we carry a wide range of respiratory supplies—including humidifiers—that can benefit your health and keep you comfortable. Our HealthSmart humidifiers are perfect for individual use and rooms of all sizes. If you’re not sure which one is right for your needs, one of our specialists will be happy to point you in the right direction.
Shop our respiratory supplies and other home medical equipment online today to start leading a happier, healthier life!
