Who would have thought the humble humidifier could do so much? Households who invest in a humidifier enjoy better health, more glowing, hydrated skin and hair and even happier houseplants. All due to devices which cost relatively little to install and maintain.
A number of different humidifiers exist from small desk models to entire home systems. The type which will work best for you depends on where you live, the amount of natural humidity in your air and average rainfall in your region.
“Households who invest in a
humidifier enjoy better health,
more glowing, hydrated skin and hair
and even happier houseplants.”
Here are ten ways you and your household can benefit from adding a humidifier to your home today.
1. Reduce Nosebleeds
When your nasal passages grow dry, they crack, leading to more frequent nosebleeds. Forced air indoors through standard HVAC equipment further dries delicate skin inside your nose, and the antihistamines you take to treat many common infections do as well. Adding a humidifier helps keep nasal passages moist, reducing the number of shirts you destroy when your snozz decides to spew like Old Faithful.
2. Cut Down on Germs
Bacteria and viruses thrive in dry environments, so adding a humidifier to restore a more natural water balance to the air can potentially cut down on the number of infections you and your family contract. You also can keep a small desktop vapor humidifier at work for the same purpose. Some humidifiers allow you to add a few drops of healing essential oil to further boost your immunity.
3. Faster Recovery Times When Ill
When you’re sick, being in a dry environment makes matters worse. Dry air leads to more frequent nose blowing, which means more germs reaching your hands and spreading to other areas — yes, hand washing helps, but how many of us head to the restroom immediately after flowing our nose at our work desk? Humidifiers can help quiet asthma and aid upper respiratory conditions to heal more quickly.
4. Happier Houseplants
Plants absorb moisture not only from the soil but from the air around them. Like human skin, the skin of a leaf has pores known as stoma which open to release oxygen and take in carbon dioxide. Even plants which are well watered can develop brown, sagging leaves if not enough moisture reaches them, and keeping adequate vapor in the air makes your houseplants appear green and sprightly.
5. Protect Your Home Furnishings
Your beautiful hardwood floors and leather couch can crack, dry and warp in rooms with inadequate moisture in the air. The right humidifier can protect the value of your investments. They can keep your furnishings looking like brand new for years, and protect your floors with no need for carpets which occasionally send you ice skating.
6. Moderate Temperature Better
Anyone who has ever spent a night freezing around a campfire in the desert southwest knows you feel temperature extremes more in dry weather. The right humidifier helps maintain air moisture levels, making you feel warmer or cooler as a result. The temperature on the dial still may read 70, but while this can feel frigid in a dry room, it feels quite comfortable in one with adequate levels of vapor.
7. Cut Back on Snoring
If there’s anything worse than lying awake while your partner snores away like Yogi Bear after a fat pic-a-nic basket repast, I’ve yet to experience it. Spare yourself the torture by investing in a humidifier, at least for your bedroom. Keeping your partners’ nasal passages moist while they sleep should reduce the noise; if not, they may need to visit a health professional to rule out sleep apnea.
8. Reduce Hangnails
If you work on a keyboard or swing a hammer for a living, no doubt you’re familiar with those annoying bits of dead skin on your fingertips which create painful tears. Working with your hands dries them out quickly. Using a humidifier at home and at work helps prevent hangnails by keeping your skin more moist and supple overall. Staying hydrated matters, too, of course.
9. Prevent Chapped Lips and Skin
Constantly picking or biting at bits of dry skin on your lips? Always rubbing on the moisturizer to avoid looking ashy? The right humidifier may solve your problems and save you a fortune in the cosmetic aisle.
10. Tame Flyaway Hair
If you have a fair complexion and baby-fine hair, no doubt you’re familiar with the fun of taking off a sweater only to look like an Einstein impersonator. Keeping adequate moisture in the air can tame the frizz and keep your locks soft and shiny.
The Right Humidifier Is Essential for Well Being
Your overall health and well-being depends upon keeping adequate levels of humidity in the air. Too much dryness can lead to adverse health outcomes, kill your houseplants and lead to costly damage to your furnishings. Investing in a humidifier can solve a host of problems, so get started on the search for your perfect system today.
About the Author
Kacey Bradley is the blogger behind The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Along with writing for her blog, she has written for sites like U.S. News, SUCCESS, Guides for Brides, Hotel Online and more! Follow Kacey on Twitter and subscribe to her blog to keep up with her travels and inspiring posts!
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