Senior Living News

At Bethesda Gardens Phoenix, we work hard to keep our residents warm and healthy this time of year. Winter is here again, and dropping temperatures aren’t the only thing that are sure to accompany it. Winter also has a tendency to make air dry, both outdoors and indoors. Dry air can be potentially hazardous to your health and has been known to irritate skin and cause (or worsen) respiratory conditions such as asthma and bronchitis.

Fortunately, if you’re finding your house too arid this season, a humidifier may be just what you need to maintain a comfortable level of humidity and moisture in the air. Here’s a look at some benefits air humidifiers can have on your health.

Health Benefits of Air Humidifiers

1. They can lower your risk of viral infection. The cool, damp air that humidifiers provide can reduce your potential risk of contracting viral infections such as influenza from airborne bacteria during the dry season.
2. They can alleviate chapped lips and enhance the overall health of your skin. Dry air can be terribly detrimental to your lips and skin, reducing their moisture and often causing cracking, itching and chapped lips. Increasing the humidity of the air in your house can help keep your lips moist and skin glowing, smooth and moisturized.
3. They can help clear your sinuses and relieve symptoms of cold and flu. If your sinuses are easily exacerbated by cold and arid weather, a humidifier can help relieve this irritation. In fact, if the frigid dryness of winter has already left you dealing with sinusitis, cold or flu, using a humidifier to restore moisture to the air in your home can actually help your body heal faster by loosening up your sinuses and upper respiratory tract.
4. They can ease scratchy throats and straining vocal cords. A humidifier can clear your sinuses and soothe your throat and vocal cords. If you often find yourself waking up in the morning with growly or scratchy vocals, letting a humidifier run overnight while you sleep can alleviate this.
5. They can relieve snoring and improve your sleep quality. Being the member of the family who snores is no fun. At best, your family may tease you for it; at worst, your significant other may find it hard to sleep near you. Because of the positive effects a humidifier can have on the throat, it can also help lessen the intensity of snoring. Additionally, it can improve the quality of your sleep in general by mitigating insomnia and sleep deprivation caused by lack of moisture in the air.
6. They can attenuate nosebleeds. Nosebleeds occur when an infection in your nasal cavities trigger blood vessel damage. If you’re prone to nosebleeds, a humidifier can add just enough dampness to the air in your home to lubricate your nasal passages and prevent your nose from such infections.
7. They can diminish severe respiratory infections. Using a humidifier to improve your air quality can also ease severe respiratory conditions such as allergies, asthma and bronchitis. These conditions occur when the muscles in your upper respiratory tract contract due to the effects of allergens such as dirt, dust, pollen and mold. Humidifiers can absorb these triggering factors and relieve contractions in your respiratory system.
8. They can benefit the health of your plants. Humidifiers don’t just benefit humans; they can also improve the health of your indoor plants. If the right level of humidity is maintained, your plants can thrive all year, regardless of whatever season it may be outside. The extra moisture from humidifiers can help keep your plants bright and healthy, which will then contribute new oxygen to your household.
9. They can assuage stress and anxiety. If you lead a packed and busy lifestyle that often leaves you stressed or anxious, humidifiers can temper these conditions as well. Fresh and damp air can calm your nerves and muscles and help you unwind and decompress after a long day.
10. They can help prevent tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is an airborne disease that can cause difficulties with breathing and even hemoptysis (coughing up blood). Humidifiers can reduce the risk of your respiratory passages being infected by mycobacterium tuberculosis, the chief bacterial cause of the disease.
11. They can protect your wood furniture. Too little moisture in the air can have negative effects on your wood furniture, doors and floors and can even lead to splits and cracks. Adding a humidifier to a room with wood furniture can help preserve the integrity of the wood for years to come. Additionally, they also help preserve the appearance of walls by slowing the cracking of paint and peeling of wallpaper.
12. They can generate warmth and help reduce your heating bill. Ask any Floridian: The more humidity is in the air, the heavier and warmer it feels. Using a humidifier to add some natural warmth to the air can help you save money you may have spent on central heating.

So many health benefits can be reaped from adding a humidifier to your home, office or any other indoor area you frequent. On top of that, it could even potentially save you money and benefit the plants and furniture around your house. It might be the perfect addition to your home this season.