Small Humidifiers
Have you struggled with dry skin or chapped lips? Do you notice that even your scalp gets extra dry, itchy, and flaky in the cold winter months?
Are your wooden floors cracking or showing more wear and tear than you think they should? Or do you struggle with allergies and frequent colds? Does it seem like your congestion and cough are so bad that you live in a protective coating of Vicks VapoRub?
You may think that all of these issues are unrelated, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s possible that all of these concerns are caused or made worse by dry air in your house.
So is there anything you can do about this? Actually, there is. Investing in a small humidifier that you can put in your room can help solve a few of these problems and boost your humidity level and improve your quality of life.
What is a Humidifier?
Many of us don’t know much about humidifiers or what they do, so let’s break that down first.
A humidifier is a device that emits water vapor into the room it’s placed in. It releases small water droplets of water into the air throw one of a few different methods.
Its main goal is to add moisture into the air. There are a few different kinds of humidifiers, including ones that use heat and ones that use more of a cool mist, but the water vapor is what connects them all.
Benefits of a Humidifier
Why should you use a humidifier? Some people can’t see the value off the bat of adding moisture into their environment, but it offers quite a few benefits.
Here are a few of the health benefits it provides to people and environments.
Reduces Snoring
Strangely enough, adding a humidifier to your room just might reduce snoring.
One of the major causes of snoring is nasal problems caused by a dry throat. With a humidifier, you’re increasing mist output into the otherwise-dry air.
This moisture can provide your mouth with the hydration it needs to prevent snoring.
Keeps Skin Moisturized
Many of us struggle with dry skin, especially in the winter. Oftentimes, this is caused by a dry, arid climate around us. When the air around you is dry, the moisture in your skin easily escapes out and into the air.
Using a small humidifier in the room where you spend the most time (or buying a portable humidifier and bringing it room to room) can restore moisture to your skin and prevent it from drying out.
This means no more chapped lips or super dry hands, even in the dead of winter.
Can Clear Nasal Passages and Loosen Mucus
If you have ever struggled with a dry, unproductive cough, you know how annoying it can be. It seems to take you longer to get better since you can’t seem to get rid of all of the phlegm in your throat.
The same goes for your sinuses. When you feel stuffy, and your nose gets dry or even bleeds, it seems like you just can’t make any progress with your symptoms.
Doctors usually tell you to make sure you’re drinking plenty of fluids for a good reason. This is because by moistening the mucus, you loosen the phlegm that causes your cough.
Using a humidifier can be a great way to add even more moisture into your sinuses and upper respiratory system. This will loosen up the mucus there, making your cough more productive and your nose less stuffy.
Good for Wood Floors and Furniture
One of the benefits of humidifiers that many people overlook is how helpful they can be at preserving and protecting wood furniture.
Wood is a very porous surface that needs moisture to remain intact. You probably don’t think about it, but when the wood is exposed to an arid or dry climate, it starts to wear down.
Dry wood is more prone to cracking, scuffing, and a general decline in quality. This can make your hardwood floors, and wooden chairs and tables start to weather in strange ways.
When you use a humidifier, you provide that wood with moisture, keeping its quality and integrity intact.
Who Can Benefit From a Humidifier?
If that all sounds great, you may be wondering who exactly might need a humidifier?
The answer is most people can benefit from having a bit more humidity in their rooms. It’s great for your whole system. These groups of people can benefit particularly well from humidifiers for a few different reasons.
People With Allergies
Whether you have cat allergies or pollen allergies, people with allergies experience a few common symptoms: Itchy eyes, sneezing, stuffy nose, postnasal drip, coughing, mucus in the back of the throat.
A humidifier can alleviate some of these common allergy symptoms by providing moisture that loosens the mucus in their noses and throats and soothes the dry skin that can come from a runny nose.
A cool mist humidifier like this one is excellent at working as an air purifier and removing impurities from the air. Look for one with a larger than a one-gallon tank capacity. The best humidifier is one quiet enough for a baby's nursery. Just one of these humidifiers works for up to 500 square feet.
Young Children
Kids are prone to get colds and upper respiratory infections multiple times each year. This means a lot of sneezing, coughing, and tissues. Unfortunately, it also means less sleep.
Adding a humidifier to your children’s room is a safe way to help loosen the mucus from their upper respiratory tracts when the inevitable happens, helping them sleep better and feel better faster. For nurseries and a child’s small room, ensure your humidifier has cold water modes to avoid injury if the humidifier is tipped over. Speaking of water, always use distilled water (never hard water or tap water) to get the best bacteria and microbes-free experience.
People With Dry Skin or Hair
If you suffer from chronic dry skin and parched, dried-out hair, a humidifier can help keep your skin, scalp, and hair happy, healthy, and hydrated with a quick push of a button.
This means no more itchy skin and less dry, flaky scalp.
A Small Humidifier Could Be Just What You Need
If you’re experiencing frequent colds, stuffy sinuses, and dry skin, you should try using a humidifier to add some much-needed moisture back into your life.
Use a small humidifier in your bedroom. Your body and furniture will thank you for it. For the best humidifiers, look for a compact machine with an essential oil diffuser that dispenses aromatherapy. Who needs a nightlight when ultrasonic humidifiers emit clean, healthy air that smells wonderful all night long?
Remember to always check the warranties of your humidifier, so you know the machine's run time and when refills are due for the water tank. Cleaning your humidifier is of the utmost importance to combat mold.
Sources:
Humidifiers: Air moisture eases skin, breathing symptoms | Mayo Clinic