You should run your humidifier all night if humidity levels are low and you want to improve your sleep, prevent nosebleed and other numerous benefits. Switching it on every night can do wonders in giving you a good restful sleep.
A humidifier is a type of machine that disperses water to the environment and moisturizes dry air as a result.
The mist may be cool or warm depending on the specific type of humidifier being used. Running it all night while you sleep can help ease problems brought about by dry air.
Benefits of Sleeping with a Humidifier Running All Night
Now that you know how a humidity maker works, it is time to look at the different benefits you will get to enjoy if you run your unit through the unit.
1. Improves sleep
Your sinuses and throat get dry when you are breathing in the dry room inside your bedroom. This is the perfect recipe for disturbed sleep and snoring not just for you but for other people in the close quarters.
When you sleep with your device turned on every night, you will have a moistened respiratory tract that can help lessen the risks of that unwanted snort.
2. Helps the respiratory tract in performing its duties
Your nose has mucus membranes that work best when they are kept moist.
Moistureless air can make it hard for these membranes to catch germs and prevent them from getting into your lungs wherein they can wreak havoc on your health.
3. Reduces risks of infections
Dry throat and nose can also expose you to infections. When you keep the appliance powered on all night during dry conditions or winter months, this can help lessen the risks of infections.
4. Relieves congestion
Are you suffering from congestion, flu, cough, or sinusitis? While dry air can accelerate the production of mucus and keep it thick, moist air can also thin out the mucus, making it easier to expel.
When you expel this mucus, you are also expelling the germs that can cause diseases and you will be well on your way to faster recovery.
5. Improves your voice
Low humidity air can clog your vocal cords and if this happens, you might not be able to recognize your own voice when you wake up in the morning.
Having a humidifier all night can benefit your vocal cords through keeping these hydrated so you will never find it hard to sing your favorite songs.
6. Prevents nasty nosebleeds
Was there ever a time when you woke up and found drops of blood on the pillow you are sleeping on? Dry nose and dry skin can easily result in a potential nosebleed.
7. Reduces heating bill in winter months
Humid air can feel hotter than dry air even at a similar temperature. It means that you will be able to lower the settings of your heater if you are operating your humidifier while you sleep.
This then helps lower your heating bill.
8. Complements your beauty routine
The dry air can rob your skin of its much-needed moisture. Dry skin will flake, chap, and age much faster compared to moist skin.
One more benefit of sleeping with a running humidity machine is that it helps maintain the health and suppleness of your skin.
9. Good for your furniture
Your furniture, molding, doors, and others are not spared by dry air. These can develop cracks and may break down faster.
Using it can result in longer lasting furnishings and furniture pieces.
10. Healthier houseplants
You probably have some plants inside your bedroom to help in cleaning out toxins from the air. Dryness can steal the much-needed moisture from these plants.
Having your humidifier on all night will ensure that your plants will stay healthy and nice to look at.
Potential Risks of Running Your Humidifier All Night
Just like everything else, having a device on all night has its own set of downsides. These include the following:
You may suffer from an allergy flare up
Filter-less humidifiers produce gray or white dust together with the necessary mist. The white dust is the minerals found in regular tap water.
To alleviate this risk, choose one with a filter for trapping these minerals.
You can also get a unit that can accept demineralization cartridges or just use distilled water instead.
The water tank may run dry
Although you can check if the water levels have reached a dangerous level during the daytime, you cannot do so if you are sleeping.
But, you can diminish the risk by making sure that you opt for a device with a continuous mist production that is longer than the number of your sleeping hours.
You also have to make sure that your unit comes with an auto shut off sensor that will shut down the unit once the tank turns dry.
You may create an environment that will breed dust mites, mold, and others
As mentioned earlier, dry air poses hazards to your health. However, over moisturized air isn’t good as well. It is important to maintain humidity at 30% to 50%.
Excessive moisture can condense on furniture, beddings, furnishings, and floors and promote the growth of mold, bacteria, dust mites, and the likes.
This can negate the benefits of having your humidifier turned on all night. Mold forming on furnishings and furniture in this type of environment will definitely mean shorter lifespan and more cleaning.
To mitigate such risk, you can use a hygrometer to help you measure the levels of humidity. If the humidity is higher than recommended, don’t run a device that will bring even more moisture.
If it gets too high, you can use a dehumidifier to soak up excess moisture. You can also use a device with a humidistat to help control and measure the amount of dispersed mist given the environment’s humidity level.
Precautions When You Run Your Humidifier All Night
- Keep it clean and also use clean water.
- Refill the unit with distilled and de-mineralized water.
- Put it in the right place.
- Maintain the right level of humidity.
- Air it during the daytime.
Empty, clean, dry, and air your humidifier prior to storing it when you go on a vacation.
