A humidifier is a machine that disperses water into the environment. It also moisturizes dry air. Since humidifiers vary, the mist may be cool or warm. So sleeping with a humidifier will ease problems caused by dry air. Still, this machine will help your skin stay hydrated. The humidity prevents pores from drying. Also, it will keep your eyes and nasal passages moisturized.
In addition, to further answer the question, is it safe to leave a humidifier on all night? Keep reading.
Can I leave my humidifier on all night?
Yes, you can even if don’t have a cold. Winter air can dry out your sinuses, lowering your resistance to bacteria and the flu or cold virus.
This means that having a humidifier next to the bed is essential to wake up with a comfortable nose and throat. Even so, to determine the best humidifier for your home, consider these 2 types of humidifiers.
1. Cool mist
This humidifier does not have a heating system. It vents air that is cool or room temperature. A cool mist humidifier is ideal for kids suffering from croup.
Besides, toddlers can’t be scalded when playing or touching it.
Read Also: List of humidifiers that are best for asthmatics
2. Warm mist
The warmer air will help open up your respiratory passage. As a result, you will breathe well and you will have less mucus build-up.
You can have any of the humidifiers next to the bed as they both add moisture to your room. The only difference is that the cool mist humidifier discharges room temperature.
The warm mist humidifier, on the other hand, emits heated air. So the cool mist is perfect for hot environments while the warm mist is great for a cool environment.
According to Dr. Benjamin Smarr, leaving a humidifier on all night depends on your specific needs. For instance, if you snore a lot, you aren’t breathing properly through your nose.
And this kind of mouth breathing causes a variety of dental problems. It leads to drying of the mouth and throat. As a result, you will develop a cough and dental issues associated with dry sad gums.
Can I leave a humidifier on all night for my baby?
Yes, a humidifier can be used all night in your baby’s nursery but under these conditions:
- The water should be often replaced.
- The humidifier is cleaned and sterilized regularly to prevent the accumulation of bacteria.
- The water used should be distilled.
- Maintain humidity between 30% to 50%. Excess humidity encourages bacteria and mold to grow, which is a health risk.
Benefits of having a humidifier in your baby’s nursery during the night:
- Babies are susceptible to infections that are common in cold weather. Running a humidifier may prevent such illnesses as they have been proven to kill these viruses.
- Also, dry air causes nasal congestion and drying of the sinuses, making breathing uncomfortable for babies. This moisture released by a humidifier creates comfortable breathing conditions by thinning the mucus to decongest the airways allowing the baby to breathe and sleep better.
- Dry skin conditions such as eczema are common in babies, and a humidifier can help the baby’s skin to retain moisture hence relieving your baby of itchiness and discomfort caused by dry skin.
Can humidifiers catch fire?
Though the risk is low, humidifiers that do NOT shut off automatically when the water runs out can be a potential fire hazard.
If you do notice that this function is faulty, you should acquire a new one.
Read Also: Which type of humidifier is best for dry eyes?
Do humidifiers kill airborne viruses?
Yes, this recent study published by the Environmental Health journal found that maintaining indoor optimal humidity can significantly reduce the flu virus and other viruses.
It works to eliminate them both on surfaces and in the air.
Should I close the door when using a humidifier?
You should close the door if the humidifier is proportional to the room size. Opening the door will allow the much-needed moisture to escape from the room.
Even with the door closed, there is still proper ventilation with air spaces under the door and on the window.
Humidifiers with a sensor keep the room at the desired humidity, as the sensor helps regulate the relative humidity of the room; therefore, closing the door doesn’t change how it works.
It just allows the humidifier to work in a smaller area, which is within its capacity.
There is no advantage to humidifying the whole room. It is primarily important that the air you breathe, which is near your eyes and nose, is not too dry especially if you have respiratory problems.
Does a humidifier make a room cooler or hotter?
Technically, the cool mist humidifier will cool your room and make you feel slightly chilly since the water vapor released is at room temperature.
In contrast, the warm mist humidifier will make your room warmer as it releases hot vapor into the air. You may have to switch between both humidifiers depending on the need or get a hybrid model that has both functions.
Using a humidifier at night is safe and has significant health benefits for both adults and babies when all precautions are observed.