We all love warmth, especially on cold, snowy days. While enjoying the benefits of the heating system in our cozy house, we are often not even aware that the spring temperature in the middle of winter has its ‘dark side’ as well.
The heaters we use can often dry the air in the rooms where we turn them on. And low humidity can negatively affect our respiratory organs. Especially babies and children may have health problems due to dry air, as their respiratory systems are still underdeveloped. Also, winter is a season when viruses are in expansion, and low humidity suits them for reproduction and dispersion.
The optimum humidity in the rooms where we are staying should be between 30 and 50%. Following some proven tricks for maintaining optimal humidity, like regular ventilation, we can create a pleasant atmosphere.
You can find other tips on solving the dry air issue on the link below: https://www.criticalcactus.com/how-to-humidify-the-home/.
Or you can use modern technology. Devices called diffusers and humidifiers can be of great benefit. Although suitable for use in any part of the home or office space, they are most recommended for baby and toddler rooms. While humidifiers can provide a solution for larger areas, diffusers are generally smaller than humidifiers and can be used for single rooms. Kids are particularly sensitive to temperature changes and low humidity.
Health Problems Caused by Dry Air
Cold weather brings reduced levels of humidity in the air, causing various problems. Over the decades, people were convinced that only high moisture causes many health problems. But recent research shows that low humidity is also damaging.
During the winter, due to low temperatures, the level of moisture in the house decreases. And turning on the heating only worsens the situation. That is why in winter, we often face runny nose, dry mouth, colds, and all the breathing difficulties.
Breathing Issues
The mucous membrane covers upper parts of the respiratory system, particularly throat and nose. Its role is to catch dust, airborne impurities, viruses, and bacteria so they can’t reach the lungs. When the mucous membrane loses its natural moisture and becomes dry, its ability to trap all mentioned particles decreases significantly. That further increases the possibility of colds or illness.
The dry air irritates the respiratory organs and causes an unpleasant feeling in the nose and throat. Parents notice dry cough in their kids, most commonly induced by dryness, irritation, and itching. For all that, the most common culprit is dry air in the bedroom.
Tighten Skin
The second problem is dry skin, especially on the face and hands. That nasty feeling of tightness happens due to lack of moist in our skin. As it’s made of 50% of water, every drop of moisture is noticeable. When the humidity in the air decreases, the surface begins to dry, itch, become irritated. We experience unpleasant burning and redness. The more sensitive the skin, the more pronounced these symptoms are.
Especially in young children, who will scratch and touch the skin, and thus make it an even bigger problem. This situation also happens when they go outside during the winter. But parents solve this problem with protective creams and lotions. Inside, the point is to create a comfortable atmosphere with optimal humidity for your youngsters with one of these.
Working Principle of Humidifiers
To avoid discomfort and health problems because of dry air, we need to ensure optimal conditions in our home. An air humidifier will be the best help, and usually, the most affordable solution. We can find more types of these devices on the market. Today, those with multiple functions are especially popular.
The original purpose of humidifiers is to purify the air from the particles. By eliminating dust, viruses, and bacteria, the air becomes lighter. That opens up the space for water particles, thereby returning the optimum humidity level to the premises.
Even the cheapest humidifiers will help you solve the problem. The most impressive devices raise the moisture in rooms quickly and efficiently, keeping mites away from the house. Newer models also offer features such as displaying humidity status and LCD screens showing temperature and humidity percentage. These accessories will cost more, but they provide higher functionality and more benefits to the device.
What to Choose for Baby’s Room
Until a few years ago, humidifiers with filters prevailed on the market. Although effective, irregular maintenance and cleaning of filters caused much bigger problems. Dust, mites, and bacteria accumulated on these filters, and after turning them on again, they were back in the air.
The most significant advantage of modern humidifiers is the eco-friendly system of operation. They are both air fresheners and humidifiers, and they use water as a natural cleanser. It is a great advantage because the filter capacity doesn’t limit the running time. We change the water when it necessary, when it gets dirty or start to smell bad. For extra freshness in kids’ rooms, we can inject a few drops of any essential oil.
Safety of Humidifiers
Air flowing through clean water will get out of the humidifier fresh and moist. That will provide pleasant conditions and comfort inside the house during the heating season. Without the use of filters and chemicals, these devices are quite safe to use in kids’ rooms.
If you are scared of electricity, you can opt for a battery-powered or USB charging. And these devices are usually small and pretty handy to place them somewhere out of the reach of tinny, restless hands. As for the model for the kids’ room, there are different models of humidifiers – from classic ones that will fit into decoration style, to pretty ‘childish’ devices, in the form of a favorite cartoon character or in bright designs.
Today, we cannot be sure if the air in our home is clean and non-polluted. People living in big and over-crowded cities are especially in big trouble. Even with the regular ventilation, cleaning, and refreshment of rooms, staying in them can affect our well-being. Humidifiers are a great way to get rid of stale air and to create healthy conditions for the growth and development of our youngest.
