5 Ways Humidifiers Can Benefit You In The Cold Winter Months

Winter is a tough time for most of us – somewhere between January and February, we start to long for the warmth of spring and summer.

Winter doesn’t just give us a harsh climate outdoors, though – the low humidity and stale air that is caused by modern HVAC systems can have quite a few negative effects. So in this article, we’ll take a deep look at the best way in which you can deal with the harsh, dry air that is so common in the winter – the humble humidifiers.

Humidifiers are a fantastic way to help moisturize the air, and maintain a healthy indoor climate – even in the harsh, cold, dark winter. Read on, and learn about the 5 ways that humidifiers can benefit you in the cold winter months.

1. Prevent The Spread Of Airborne Viruses

Everybody lives in dread of cold and flu season in the winter – and there’s a reason that these viruses are more common in the cold, dry months of the year. Recent studies suggest that humidity levels have a staggering effect on the activation of airborne virus particles. When indoor relative humidity rises above 43%, nearly 86% of tested virus particles became inactive and completely harmless.

Because higher levels of humidity can help prevent viral transmission of colds, cases of flu, and other viruses, it’s a great idea to get a humidifier for your home – especially if you have small children who are especially susceptible to the infection and transmission or wintertime colds and cases of flu.

2. Reduce Snoring

Snoring can become a real problem at low humidity levels. The lower humidity of the winter months can dry out the soft tissues in the sinus and the throat, as the water that usually stays in our systems is sucked out by the dry air.

In turn, this dryness exacerbates existing snoring issues – a loud, raspy snore is common among many people in a low relative-humidity climate, and this can be very bothersome for sleeping partners and family members alike.

Humidifiers address this problem by increasing the moisture levels of the air. Because the air is more humid, evaporation occurs less quickly during the night, allowing your sinuses and your throat to stay moist, and eliminating loud wintertime snoring.

3. Encourage Healthier Skin

Dry skin is one of the most common effects of a low relative-humidity climate and is extremely common in the winter. The cause of dry skin is simple – the low humidity in the air literally saps moisture from your skin and pulls it into the atmosphere. And while dry skin can be addressed with topical moisturizers, the application of lotion doesn’t solve the problem of dryness – it merely mitigates it.

Humidifiers solve the problem of dry skin at the source. Air that is at a relatively high humidity level doesn’t leach any moisture from your skin, allowing it to stay happy and healthy.

4. Allows For Faster Healing – Even If You Do Get Sick

If you do get a wintertime cold, or suffer from asthma or allergies, a humidifier can still help you recover more quickly, and mitigate the symptoms of your sickness.

The moist air provided by a humid environment helps keep the tissues of your nose and throat lubricated and healthy. In turn, this speeds up the healing process and reduces the impact of symptoms such as sneezing and coughing.

5. Helps Prevent Annoying Static Electricity Buildup

While static shocks are hardly dangerous, they can be really annoying in the winter. Static electricity has a tendency to build up much more frequently in the winter because of the cool, dry atmosphere present in most homes and workplaces. This is because water is an extremely effective conductor. In a humid environment, the static buildup is very rare because the moist air absorbs imbalances in a positive and negative charges.

However, in a dry environment, these imbalances have nowhere to go and continue to build up until they’re released – often on your skin, which provides plenty of moisture for nasty static shock discharges.

Humidifiers deal with this problem by restoring natural moisture levels to your environment, channeling static electricity harmlessly into the air, and reducing your risk of shock.

Get a Humidifier – And Enjoy Your Winter

As you can see, there are plenty of great reasons to buy a humidifier. Whether you’re suffering from dry skin, tired of static discharges building up on your wool socks, or just looking to reduce your risk of getting sick, a humidifier is a fantastic investment.

So get a great humidifier, sit back, and enjoy the winter. Spring will be here before you know it – and the moist, healthy environment provided by your new humidifier will help you get through the worst of the cold, dry winter months.