Is It Healthy to Sleep With a Humidifier?

You've heard about all of the health benefits that a humidifier can provide.

You've read that this machine can ease your sinus symptoms, improve your indoor air quality, and even lure you into a more restful sleep.

Yet, you're still a little hesitant.

Can one device really do it all? Moreover, is it even safe to sleep with a humidifier? 

Before you make any purchase, it helps to know the facts, and this is no exception. Today, we're sharing all the details about what your humidifier can do, how it helps, and the best ways to use and enjoy it safely.

Why Do I Need a Humidifier?

First, an important question: Why do you even need a humidifier in the first place? Can it really make that much of a difference?

The answer is a resounding "yes", and here's why.

The relative humidity in your home is more important than you might think. This is the measurement of how much moisture is currently in the air around you, compared with the maximum amount of moisture that it can possibly hold.

At 100% relative humidity, the air is maxed out. This means that moisture would turn into water droplets and it could begin to rain in your room.

On the other end of the spectrum, your air can also be too dry. If the relative humidity isn't high enough, you'll feel those effects in your skin, hair, eyes, and sinus cavities.

Risks of Low Humidity in Your Home

Without sufficient humidity in your home, a few of the most common symptoms you might feel include:

  • Cracked lips
  • Flaky skin 
  • Itchy throat
  • Irritated, scratchy eyes
  • Dry, static-filled hair
  • Cold and sinus symptoms
  • Dry sinuses

Why the sinus connection? Your nose is actually an incredible, tiny humidifier.

The small hairs inside of them, called cilia, play an important role in your health. They help to filter out large particles of dust and bacteria in the air, keeping them from entering your lungs as you breathe. At the same time, they ensure that the air reaching our lungs is moist enough.

Yet, your nose can get overwhelmed if it's forced to work overtime. If the air in your bedroom isn't sufficiently humid, you could overwhelm its abilities. When this happens, it's not uncommon to wake up with nosebleeds, swollen sinuses, and stopped-up nasal passages. 

These are only a few of the most apparent signs that you may need a humidifier. In addition, your physical wellbeing isn't the only thing that suffers if the air around you is too dry.

You may also notice that your wood floors squeak more than usual, or that your wooden furniture is exceptionally noisy. These cracks and creaks are signs that the wood is expanding and contracting, which can damage its quality and shorten its lifespan.

Achieving an Ideal Level

A humidifier can help regulate the relative humidity level inside of your home. While you may not be able to control the weather outdoors, this machine allows you to fine-tune it in the rooms around you.

Research shows that most people are the most comfortable at relative humidity levels between 30% and 60%

You can monitor and adjust these levels with a humidifier depending on your needs. Otherwise, you'll be hard-pressed to measure the humidity in the air around you. Scientists use a tool called a hygrometer to analyze these readings, but they're a little too high-tech for most homeowners to keep around!

Using a Humidifier at Night

While you can use a humidifier all of the time, most people realize its value most when they wake up in the morning. 

If you've ever risen with a sore throat that seemed to appear out of the blue and get better after breakfast, you could be suffering from the effects of low indoor humidity. The same applies if you wake up with crust around your nose or red, itchy eyes.

 

Mouth-breathers are especially aware of how important humidity is to their overall comfort. If you tend to sleep with your mouth open, you need that moisture to keep your throat coated throughout the night. Without it, it can feel like swallowing pins and needles, and you're also more likely to suffer from a dry mouth and cough.

 

Knowing this, you'll understandably want to run your humidifier at night, preferably in your bedroom. This way, you can reap all of its benefits as you slumber.

Different Types of Humidifiers

Ready to turn on your humidifier and turn down for the night? Before you do, it's important to make sure you have a model that's appropriate for nighttime use.

In your research, you'll discover that there are a few different types of humidifiers. Let's briefly take a look at how some of the most common kinds of work.

Warm Mist Humidifiers

Warm mist humidifiers create a mist of warm air in the room that you can see and feel. Most models are either steam or vaporizer models. 

When you add water to your unit and plug it in, it boils the water inside and produces steam. Before it is released into the air around you, this steam is cooled, but only slightly.

The benefits of these machines include their quiet operation and effectiveness. However, as you might expect, they can present a burn risk.

If you knock a warm mist humidifier over, the water inside will be hot. Moreover, the steam could even burn you if you sleep or sit too close to it. For this reason, it's never recommended to use one in a child's room or any room with pets that may paw at it.

Ultrasonic Humidifiers

Ultrasonic humidifiers are among the most popular on the list and for good reason.

These machines include a metal diaphragm that vibrates at an ultrasonic frequency, similar to the way a speaker works. When you pour water into the reservoir, this ultrasonic movement goes to work, turning the liquid into water droplets.

A fan then blows these droplets into the air, creating a fine, light mist.

A few of the benefits of ultrasonic humidifiers include:

  • Virtually silent
  • Easy to clean and maintain
  • No heat involved
  • Low power consumption
  • No filter
  • Economical price point

Our Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier

Looking to add an ultrasonic humidifier to your home? Check out our Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier. The sleek design of this humidifier ensures a seamless and beautiful fit with any type of home decor.

humidifier on the table with flowers

Capable of enhancing rooms up to 500 square feet in size, this humidifier includes a six-liter water storage tank and lasts more than 50 hours. Depending on your personal preference, you can adjust the knob to deliver just the right amount of cool mist.

Not only can it help you rest better and wake up refreshed, but you'll also appreciate that our model can help reduce the number of airborne viruses and bacteria present in your room. In addition, our Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier can also:

  • Soothe your dry skin 
  • Moisten your dry sinuses
  • Alleviate asthma, colds, and seasonal allergies

Want to amplify the spa-like effect in your bedroom? Our model even includes an essential oils tray for all of your aromatherapy needs. If you're already used to running your Essential Oil Diffuser, you can take it to the next level by adding a few drops to your humidifier!

Central Humidifiers

A central humidifier is built into your home's HVAC system. While these can be some of the most expensive on the list, they're effective at delivering humidity throughout the entire house.

These are also safer than warm mist humidifiers, as they do not use or require the use of steam.

Evaporative Humidifiers

Evaporative humidifiers operate similarly to cool mist humidifiers. These machines do not need heat to create humidity. 

Rather, they use a fan and a wick to generate humidity inside of the tank and expel it into the air. Though these are safe for children and pets, they are not as quiet as an ultrasonic humidifier.

Want to Sleep With a Humidifier? The Kind to Buy

The benefits of sleeping with a humidifier cannot be overlooked. Because they produce moisture, they help to eliminate the dry air that causes a range of health and beauty conditions. 

Especially during the winter season, a humidifier in your bedroom can help prevent the seasonal irritation and inflammation that occur in your sinuses when winter rolls around. You'll also wake up to healthier and softer skin, hair, and nails.

That said, it's important to understand which humidifiers are safe to use at night, and which ones you should avoid.

First, any machine that requires heat to produce humidity isn't ideal for your bedroom. While a warm mist humidifier can be effective and beneficial, using one at night simply isn't worth the risk of scalding.

This is especially the case if you have tiny hands or curious little paws that might enter your bedroom! An accidental knock could send boiling water flying, and it's also unsafe to sleep too close to the machine. While the steam does cool a little before it enters the air, young children have skin that's more sensitive to hot temperatures.

With this model eliminated, which one is recommended for nighttime use? The answer is a cool mist ultrasonic humidifier! Let's review a few things to keep in mind when you use yours.

Using Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifiers at Night

When you run a cool mist humidifier at night, you can rest easy knowing that you're safely and securely adding moisture to your room without any of the risks or drawbacks of other models.

What makes these machines so safe? Ultrasonic humidifiers do not contain a heating element, so the risk of burning or scalding is eliminated.

This is why many expectant parents add one to their baby registry! Running a cool mist humidifier in your child's room can help alleviate allergy symptoms, keep their skin healthy, and lure them into a peaceful slumber. Some even come equipped with special, soothing light features that allow them to double as a nightlight.

To create the safest and most effective environment, position your cool mist humidifier near your bed but not too close to it. You want to reap all of the benefits of the mist that it provides without worrying about accidentally sloshing water on your floor as you toss and turn at night!

Maintaining Your Ultrasonic Humidifier

If you run your ultrasonic humidifier every night, it's important to clean and sanitize it regularly to keep it working properly.

Once a week, you can do a deep-clean on the machine. Making sure to remove all of the water first, you can follow these steps to make sure it's sparkling clean the next time you use it!

Also, be sure to remove the water each morning after using it at night. If you allow the water to sit in the reservoir, it can harbor microorganisms that can lead to mold and mildew.  

Are You Ready to Sleep Better at Night?

Are you tired of waking up in the morning with a dry, scratchy throat, unable to breathe through your nose? Cold and flu season can be a nightmare for anyone who suffers from allergies, and the air in your bedroom could be making it worse.

girl stretches after waking up

The answer to the question, "Can you sleep with a humidifier?" is simple. Yes, you can, as long as it does not have a heating element. 

For this reason, the safest machine for nighttime is a cool mist ultrasonic humidifier. When you buy our model, you're one step closer to the peaceful, restorative sleep you deserve. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil, turn it on and turn down!

Looking for more health and wellness products designed to help you live your best most comfortable life? We've got them all in our shop. Feel free to look around and contact us if you have any questions.

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