Why humidifier is good for cold?

Ah-choo! That’s right, you’ve got the cold. Your nose is runny, your head hurts and your throat feels like sandpaper – all because of this pesky cold. But wait, do not despair! There might be a solution to make you breathe easier and feel better – using a humidifier.

A humidifier can help ease some of the symptoms of the cold by adding moisture to the air in your room. In fact, it can offer several other benefits as well that will make it worth investing in one if you frequently suffer from such seasonal illnesses. This article explains why humidifiers are considered good for treating or preventing colds.

What is a Humidifier?

Before we discuss how humidifiers benefit us when we have a cold, let’s first understand what they are exactly. A humidifier is an electronic appliance that increases humidity levels in enclosed spaces such as bedrooms or living rooms effortlessly throughout winter months when heating systems dehydrate indoor atmosphere making it difficult to breathe comfortably without dry coughing or irritated eyes/noses.

Humidity refers to the amount of water vapor present in the air at any given time; relative humidity (RH) measures how close that quantity compares with maximum possible saturation. Optimal RH ranges between 30% and 60%, but home heaters tend to overwrite this point during colder seasons reducing indoor moisture further aggravating blocked sinuses/sore throats while turning skin dry/cracked.

Types of Humidifiers

There are two main types of humidifiers:

1) Cool mist
2) Warm mist

The main difference between them lies in their mechanisms used for dispersing water particles into ambient atmosphere:

Cool-mist uses ultrasonic vibrations (~discharged by quartz crystals_) which produce fine droplets/mist before being released through its nozzle creating refreshing feeling especially in summer months.

Warm-mist, on the other hand, uses a heating element to boil and release steam which can foster a cozy atmosphere during winters.

Now that we have understood what is humidifier let’s get down to how it helps us prevent or cure colds in winter season.

How a Humidifier Helps with Cold Symptoms?

First of all, let’s make it clear – using a humidifier alone might not eliminate a cold, but certainly assist easing its symptoms due to better respiratory management thanks to humidified environment enabling airways moistened making it more comfortable for you breath without soar throat/dry cough experience. Here are some ways they help:

1) Relieves Congestion

When your nose gets congested due to excess mucus buildup associated with common cold illness, breathing becomes challenging as nostrils block reducing oxygen supply resulting low energy levels at daytime causing fatigue plus insomnia discomfort while keeping nightmares interrupted sleep schedule time by time.

Using a humidifier will add moisture into the air around you creating an easier-to-breathe-in ambiance helping effectively unclog strangled drainage present inside nasal passage/sinus cavities alleviating subsequent irritation aiding quick recovery from any chesty cough/cold symptoms commonly observed every year during chilly seasons.

2) Reduces Sneezing and Coughing

Dryness can irritate the lungs’ lining leading increased susceptibility if chronic chesty conditions follow through making sneezing or dry hacking worse frequently disturbing productivity levels throughout day/nightly hours alike affecting your daily routine slow motion reduces fun activities significantly forcing dependence over family members or caregivers ultimately decreasing self-confidence gradually taking toll mentall+y.

Humidifying agents curb this by manipulating ambient RH (~relative humidity) thus infusing hydration precursors resultant cells microbial growth reduction coupled enhanced lung functionality while relaxing musculature tightness caused by viral infection onset traditionally generating scratchy throat sensation worsening coughing fit causing dehydration amplified risk

3) Soothes Throat Irritation

If the air is too dry, your throat and nasal passages can become irritated. Opening mouth to breathe or even talking for prolonged periods becomes tough once tissue layer dries out severely reducing auditory sensations eventually leading throat inflammation resulting swallowing discomfort inhibiting eating/drinking habits until cleared up.

By humidifying surrounding air using a humidifier, you can keep these tissues moistened which gives temporary relief from sore throats and associated coughs that last for several weeks interfering with regular activities including sleeping patterns cause frustration.

4) Protects Your Furniture

Did you know that dry winter months not only crack/chap skin but also furniture? Wood products left in low-humidity environment tend to get stain marks often distorted cum underutilized disappearing gradually thus materially deteriorating adding financial burden throughout lifespan home furnitures such as piano, wooden floors/dashboard etc require special maintenance/hydrated surroundings maintain shine along time protected subtle moisture sensitive molecules.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Should I run my humidifier all night?

A: Yes, it is recommended that you run your humidifier continuously overnight when using one to ease cold symptoms because this helps sustain optimal ambient temperature levels without intermittent cycles during sleepless nights caused by noisy motor ticking.

Q2. Can Humidifiers be harmful?

A: In general no (or alternatively ” Actually yes”); though caution must be observed based on the type of unit/operation regulating humidity level distribution inside any room/container possible allergen buildup if ventilation/filtration not addressed correctly especially relevant applying impure water source instead distilled ones attracting bacteria accumulation detrimental long-term health.

Q3. How Often do I Clean My Humidifier?

A:> Frequency depends upon usage frequency/maintenance regimen capacity/how frequently use cleaner additive formulations verified diffusing filters cleaned according instructions provided by manufacturer. It’s always best to read the manual and based on usage suggestion conduct it.

Q4: What type of water should I use?

A:> Preferably, you should use distilled or demineralized water because minerals present in hard tap water tend to release into the air forming white mineral deposits often accompanied by ‘scum’ formations whether visible microorganisms deposited not causing additional risk diseases.

Conclusion

In summary, using a humidifier is an easy and practical solution that offers numerous benefits when it comes to preventing or reducing cold symptoms effectively owing multiple advantages including respiratory relief from congestion/sneezing/coughing plus protecting furniture elegance/home’s longevity ensuring smooth operation during adverse seasons allowing you focus productive lifestyle rather than getting trapped within recurring chesty bouts limiting confidence/personal growth negatively which ultimately leads addressing wider audience groups motivating them opt humidor platforms combating dry winter environment with ease regardless what causes these issues every year – wear your mask!