Here at PositiveMed.com our goal is to give you the best health advice available and keep you updated on the latest health and wellness information. Today we want to talk about humidity levels in your home. You may be a person who lives in an extremely humid part of the world, which can leave your home feeling stuffy. Others live in an area that is so dry it leaves our skin feeling dehydrated.
No matter where you live, there are a great many benefits to balancing the humidity levels in your home. You’ll find that if your home is dry then you may want to invest in a humidifier, or if you live in a humid area you’ll want to check out some high quality dehumidifiers. First let’s check out the advantages of proper humidity levels in your home.
The Goldilocks Effect
Do you recall the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears? If not, here is a quick refresher. Three bears live in a house but leave for a bit. A young girl is lost and finds their home. She tries their porridge. One is too hot, one is too cold, but one is just right. Goldilocks then tries their beds with the same results. One bed is too hard. One is too soft. The final one is just right.
This is what we want to achieve with your home. We don’t want it to be too humid or too dry. We want it to be just right. Dehumidifiers and humidifiers can make this happen for you depending on the situation in your home. Here are the results of homes that don’t reach the Goldilocks Effect.
When the Air is Too Humid
If you live in an area that boasts warmth and humidity you might find you suffer from allergies. This could be because spores, mold, and mites can all travel in the thick air. When you add a dehumidifier to your home here are some advantages.
Cleaner Air
While these devices do not act as air purifiers when they eliminate the excess humidity in your home. When this happens the levels of impure air are reduced dramatically. This will help with allergies.
Say Goodbye to Mite
These little pests live inside most of your furnishings. In fact, anything in your home that is made or covered with fabric then there is possibility dust mites thrive in there. A few examples are mattresses, carpets, sofas, and drapes. Their food source is made up entirely of the dead skin cells you and your loved ones shed.
Another interesting fact about these little guys is that they seem to grow in numbers when the air is damply opposed to dry. MItes are just another aggravation of allergies. A dehumidifier will greatly reduce the number of mites in your home.
Your Furniture Will Thank You Too
Wood furniture can warp if the room is too humid and if it can even affect the wood that makes up your home. Dehumidifying your home will lengthen the life of bedspreads and pillows.
Reduce Mildew
Moisture breeds mildew. When the furnishings in a home are damp from the air the possibility of mildew growing inside the mattresses and pillows increases. When you reduce the humidity in your home mildew cannot grow as easily.
When the Air is Too Dry
You may live somewhere that tends to get dry. This can happen when the cold weather hits in the winter. The results of this can mean dry cracked skin and bloody noses. When this begins to happen a humidifier can help relieve these ailments. Here are some way adding humidity to a dry home can help you.
Fight the Cold and Flu Season
Winter is the time when we tend to catch these bugs. When the room is humid the little hairs in your nose are more active at catching them before they enter your system. Plus the moisture in the air lubricates your nose, which will eliminate bloody noses.
If you do catch a cold or the flu it is important to keep those nasal passages working as well as your bronchial tubes and throat. When the air is moist, sleeping and breathing don’t seem as difficult.
More on the Throat
Your voice can suffer in an environment that is too dry because your vocal cords need to be lubricated well. When they are creating the vibrations that construct your voice is easy. If you are a singer or public speaker, the risk of hindering this is even greater. Adding humidity will ease these problems while you sleep.
Skin Deep
Actually, your skin goes pretty deep, which is why a humid home is important to keep your elbows, hands, and feet from cracking. Of course, you can always add lotion but when a humidifier is added to the mix you are moisturizing your skin without adding any foreign substances on your skin. Humidity is a natural moisturizer.
You Will Feel Warmer
When there is more moisture in the air the room will feel warmer. If you live in a warm climate, a dehumidifier might cool the room off for you and lessen your energy bill. If you live in an area that gets cold, adding a humidifier could bring the temp of your room up a few degrees, also saving on energy consumption.
Whatever your needs might be, there are ample reasons why creating an atmosphere where the humidity is leveled to “just right” would be best for your health and wellness.
