Dry indoor air consequences. Dry air: how does it bother children? How to deal with increased dry air

In winter, the humidity level in the apartment drops to 15–20%. And that's bad. Why?

Firstly, because dehydrated air dries out the skin and mucous membranes, contributes to a decrease in immunity and the development of diseases such as sinusitis and sinusitis. By the way, young children are especially sensitive to its effects.

The second reason is that insufficient humidity harms plants, books, wooden furniture and musical instruments.

The optimal humidity level in an apartment is about 40–60%.

You can measure air humidity using a special device - a hygrometer. If you don't have one, use the following method. Fill the glass cold water and leave it in until the temperature of the liquid drops to 3–5 °C. Then take out the glass and place it in a room away from the radiators. Observe the glass surface for five minutes. Evaluate the result this way:

If the walls of the glass first fog up and then dry out after five minutes, the air in the room is dry.
If after five minutes the glass remains foggy, the humidity is average.
If streams of water appear on the glass, the humidity is increased.

Is the air dry? Then use one of the following techniques to restore normal humidity levels.

1. Use the bathroom

Probably one of the most simple ways. Leave the door to your room open every time you shower or bathe. Evaporation will penetrate into the apartment and humidify the air.

You can also not immediately drain the water from the bath, but let it cool first: this will increase the amount of steam.

2. Dry things in the room

Another way that doesn’t require any effort on your part. Just place the dryer with washed clothes next to the radiator: the clothes will dry faster and the air will be saturated with moisture.

The main thing is that there are no cleaning products left on things. Otherwise you will breathe chemicals.

A similar way to humidify the air is to hang wet towels on the radiator. You can increase the lifespan of such a humidifier using a water bottle.

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How to build such a structure is described in detail.

3. Boil

All you need is a stove and a saucepan or kettle.

Option 1. Bring water in a saucepan to a boil and place it on a table or windowsill so that the steam humidifies the apartment.
Option 2: Boil the kettle and leave it on low heat for longer evaporation. This technique can be used when you are preparing food (the air often becomes dry at this time).

You can also add a few drops of tea tree or eucalyptus oil to the water. Their aroma is soothing, and the vapors kill germs and reduce the risk of colds and flu. In addition, you can throw cinnamon sticks, herbs or other spices into the water to make the air fragrant.

4. Place containers of water around the apartment

You can do without boiling. Simply fill vases, bottles and other containers with water and place them near heat sources. If you add stones and flowers it will be beautiful composition- guests, most likely, will not even realize that these are not decorative elements, but homemade humidifiers. Just remember to periodically wash the containers and change the water.

5. Get indoor plants

House flowers not only humidify the air, but also ionize it. Some are also excellent disinfectants.

The following plants give off especially a lot of moisture:

nephrolepis (house fern);
fatsia;
Cyperus;
sparmania (indoor linden);
ficus;
dracaena;
hibiscus.

6. Install an aquarium or fountain

Both of these decorative element also humidify the air. Of course, buying them specifically for this purpose is irrational. But if you want to have fish or decorate your house with a small fountain, you should not forget about this additional property.

7. Ventilate and do wet cleaning

Even in winter, it’s a good idea to ventilate the apartment 2-3 times a day to maintain a comfortable humidity level. Well, you probably yourself know that from time to time you need to wipe off the dust and wash the floors.

8. Build an electric humidifier

An option for those with crazy hands. This air humidifier cost Lifehacker about 300 rubles. An ultrasonic steam generator can be ordered on AliExpress for 180 rubles, a fan for 50.

Important to remember

High humidity in an apartment (more than 70%) is no better than dry air. It contributes to the appearance and occurrence of allergies. And it just creates an unpleasant feeling of dampness. So don't overdo it with hydration - and the force will be with you!

Everyone knows that a person is 80% water. Naturally, this indicator is individual and depends on many factors, so a person regularly needs to consume the recommended amount of water. But it is important not only how much water you consume, but also what kind of air surrounds you every day. Excessively dry or humid air can negatively affect not only human health, but also accelerate the process of furniture damage. This article will focus on low indoor humidity. You will learn why dry air in an apartment is dangerous and how it affects human health.

Signs of excessively dry air

The most in the best possible way The measurement of humidity is to use a hygrometer. Many models show not only the humidity level, but also the temperature regime.

There are common signs that may indicate low humidity. These include:

indoor plants begin to die;
furniture deteriorates;
periodic occurrence of unpleasant static discharges from contact with objects or another person;
dryness is observed skin, peeling of the body increases, which causes itching;
increased frequency of colds in all family members, regular dry cough, long-term and protracted illnesses;
discomfort associated with dry mucous membranes of the eyes;
the appearance of periodic nosebleeds;
there is drowsiness and lack of concentration;
During sleep, a characteristic whistling through the nose appears due to the drying out of the mucous membrane of the respiratory system.

As you can see, there are many signs that the microclimate at home is too dry. Many of them are directly related to changes in the human body. Based on this, it’s time to figure out why dry air in an apartment is dangerous.

The effect of low humidity on human health

As you might have guessed, a microclimate that is too dry can have a negative impact on human health. The presence of this factor affects many vital important systems human and leads to serious changes in the body. Of course, this process is long-term, however, in the long term it can cause serious damage to health.

Why is low humidity dangerous for humans? Here are the main ones possible consequences for good health:

The transport of oxygen in the blood slows down. For optimal performance The circulatory system needs to inhale a sufficient amount of oxygen. In a dry microclimate, this is quite difficult to ensure. This leads to the fact that oxygen is supplied in insufficient quantities, too slowly. In turn, this entails the appearance of excessive fatigue and increased drowsiness. Human performance decreases.
With low humidity, the nasal mucosa is not able to effectively clean itself, and thus it fights various viruses and infections that enter the body through the respiratory tract. This leads to the fact that a person begins to get sick more often.

Important! This is especially true for young children. Dry air prevents quality fight organism with respiratory diseases.

Premature aging and fading of the skin occurs, and early wrinkles appear. For skin health, it is very important to receive the necessary moisture not only from the inside, but also from the outside, thanks to the optimal level of humidity in the surrounding air.
Low humidity provokes constant circulation of dust, because under such conditions it becomes light and actively flies in the air without settling on the floor. It regularly enters the human body with every breath and carries various allergens with it. Their constant exposure can provoke bronchial asthma.
The danger of dry air is also great for the mucous membranes of the eyes. For people who have to wear contact lenses, this causes enormous discomfort. You have to constantly use special solutions to moisturize the mucous membranes of the eyes. Otherwise, severe cutting pain in the eyes cannot be avoided.

As you can see, talk about the dangers of a dry environment for human health is far from exaggerated. Prolonged stay and living in such conditions can lead to serious consequences.

The effect of dry air on the interior

In addition to the impact on human health, low humidity can also have a detrimental effect on the home. What is the danger of dry indoor air? Check out the main consequences of a dry microclimate:

One of the main effects that you can regularly see in your home is excessive dust generation. Due to extreme dryness, dust constantly circulates in the air and settles on various objects. This entails the need for frequent cleaning of all surfaces. At high humidity dust rises less and settles on the floor. Then regular wet cleaning of the floor will be enough.

Low humidity has a negative impact on indoor plants. Most of them assume average or above average humidity levels. If these indicators are not supported on the right level, then the plants turn yellow and dry out.
When the air is dry, all wooden furniture suffers. This happens because when humidity is low, the environment compensates for it from the objects in it. Doors crack, tables become deformed, wooden steps, chairs. Cracks may appear on their surface. The most unpleasant thing is the drying out of parquet or laminate flooring. This causes it to become deformed and can squeak a lot when walking on it.

Important! If you have musical instruments at home, low humidity can lead to drying out. wooden elements in them. This negatively affects their sound.

Causes of low humidity

The optimal indoor humidity is 40 to 60 percent. Extremely Negative influence humidity below 30 percent has an impact on human health. This problem is very common. The situation is especially aggravated in the winter season.

What causes dry air? Here are the main reasons for low humidity:

To create maximum comfort at any time of the year, humanity has begun to actively use air conditioners. Of course, they are capable of maintaining a given air temperature, however, not everyone knows that in doing so, these devices dry out the air too much. Air conditioners are one of the main reasons for low humidity during the warm season.
Some air conditioner models are equipped with a heating function. This leads to the fact that the device is turned on not only in hot summers, but also in cold winters. In this situation, it works as a heater. Therefore, heaters and air conditioners with a heating function are another cause of dehumidification.
Lack of ventilation. For a healthy microclimate, it is very important to regularly open windows and ventilate. This will provide an influx of fresh air and reduce the number of harmful viruses and bacteria in the air.

Important! You should not get carried away with prolonged ventilation in severe frosts. This will dry out the air even more. It is enough to open the window for just a few minutes.

Poor ventilation in the room. As a rule, during repairs, due attention is not paid to the ventilation system. An incompletely thought-out air inflow and outflow system has a detrimental effect on the microclimate in a house or apartment.
Central heating. Buildings that are centrally heated suffer from excessively dry air in winter. The level of humidity in the room is directly affected by the lack of ability to control the temperature and intensity of the heating system. Heating radiators that are too hot can dry the air to critical levels.
A large number of people in a certain area. This problem is especially relevant in large offices. When a person inhales oxygen, they exhale carbon dioxide. In the absence of ventilation in a large office and excessive crowding of people, the air quality leaves much to be desired. Moreover, part of the moisture from the air is absorbed by the human body through the skin. In such conditions, humidity decreases, and as a result, dry air in the office is ensured.

Is your child often sick, does he have allergies, or for some reason does he have a stuffy nose all the time? The doctor advised you to strengthen your immune system and you ran to the pharmacy for a new miracle drug? Or maybe the baby doesn’t sleep well, is capricious, and you think that all this is due to teething or magnetic storms? Start with the simplest thing: check the microclimate of your home, in particular, air humidity. It turns out that it is dry air - common reason and diseases and feeling unwell in children.

1 reduces immunity

The mucous membranes of the nasal cavity are our first and very important barrier to bacteria and various viruses. It is the nasal mucosa that every second comes into contact with a huge number of different microbes, but since mucus is constantly formed in the nose, it prevents them from entering the child’s body. This ability of the mucous membranes is called local immunity. But the nasal mucosa can protect against infections only if it is well moisturized, and if the nose dries out, the work of local immunity is disrupted. Then bacteria and viruses easily overcome the protective barrier of weakened local immunity, and the likelihood that the child will get sick upon contact with the infection immediately increases. So main enemy local immunity and one of the reasons that a child often gets sick is dry air.

2 promotes allergies

And dry air in the house is very harmful for children prone to allergic reactions. Not only does the mucous membrane of the nose and mouth dry out, causing the body to immediately become more susceptible to various allergens, including dust. Also, the dust itself in rooms where the humidity is very low practically does not settle, but constantly hangs in the air. Plus, it also adds animal hair, plant pollen, small particles from clothes, and any household items in the house. And the child constantly inhales all this. If the air had normal humidity, dust and other allergens would settle on the floor faster and the baby would not breathe all sorts of nasty things.

3 does not allow the nose to breathe

If the air in the house is too warm and dry and the mucous membranes dry out, then the body must somehow respond to this. His first reaction is that the nasal mucosa secretes secretions to protect itself from drying out. But since the air is constantly dry, the nose begins to secrete more and more secretions - as a result, a runny nose or nasal congestion appears. Moreover, there may not be so-called snot - the child simply either “grunts” his nose all the time, or sniffs it. There may be another situation: at some point the mucous membrane dries out completely, crusts form in it, which clog the nose even more. By the way, babies already have narrow and short nasal passages, and if swelling, congestion or dry crusts are added to them, then it becomes even harder for the child to breathe.

4 interferes with sleep and enjoyment of life

The drier the air, the less oxygen it contains. And the lack of oxygen (hypoxia) primarily affects nervous system. An adult often begins to have a headache, concentration decreases, and fatigue increases. Due to lack of oxygen, young children become more irritable, more often capricious and sleep worse. So the child may not be crying because of teeth or a magnetic storm, he is simply being affected by hypoxia. In addition to the lack of oxygen, difficulty breathing due to dry mucous membranes is added - this is why the baby is either restless in his sleep, or wakes up all the time, or cannot fall asleep for a long time. And very often a child drinks water or milk at night not because he is hungry, but simply because his mouth is dry.

5 interferes with eating

How do babies eat? Suck mom's breast
or a bottle, that is, their mouth is always busy.
Try sucking on something if your nose is stuffy, has dry crusts, or even snot. The baby begins to eat, and is forced to stop all the time, because he also needs to breathe.
And the mother doesn’t understand why suddenly the baby
lets go of the breast, then pounces on it again. Thinks that the problem is with her (the breast does not give correctly or the shape of the nipple is not the right one), or in general
begins to fear that there is not enough milk. And all
simple: the child’s nose is either dry or clogged.

6 what to do

The child feels most comfortable at a temperature of 20–22 °C and air humidity of 50–70%. But in winter, when the batteries are working at full capacity, the temperature in the house reaches 25–28 ° C, and the humidity drops to 20%. You can find out about this if you buy a thermometer along with a hygrometer: they will show both the temperature in the room and its humidity.
To create the correct microclimate in the room, you need to:
– Do a wet cleaning in the baby’s room at least once a day (just wash the floor; it’s not so much about cleanliness as it is about moisturizing the house).
– Ventilate the room at least 4–6 times a day for 10 minutes. If there is frost outside, this will not increase the humidity (at low temperatures the air outside is also usually dry), but it will add oxygen.
– If the batteries are regulated, do not turn them on full power.
– Buy a humidifier and use it regularly. If this is not possible, then you need to humidify the air in the house folk remedies: hang wet towels near the heating radiators (it doesn’t last long, but it’s at least something); place wide containers of water near the battery; just constantly spray clean water from a spray bottle.
– Moisten the child’s nose with pharmaceutical saline solutions. Soften the crusts in the nose and remove them.

Neither a fashionable immunostimulant, nor the most modern vitamins, nor even fresh air itself will make a child healthy if he lives in a house with very low air humidity. So it’s worth taking the time to create the right microclimate around your baby.

Dry air is a practically unfamiliar concept for residents of coastal and port cities. But if your region cannot boast of the sea, then you know firsthand what low air humidity is. We won’t talk about standards today; a separate article is devoted to them; we’ll just remind you that the humidity standard is in the range from 40 to 60%.

It would seem that the norms can be ignored, but dry air in a room actually turns out to be much more dangerous than it seems. Its effect affects the entire body through contact with the skin and is localized in the eyes and mucous membranes. Why is this happening? It's simple: if the dry air in the room is your harsh reality, then the body not only does not receive water from the atmosphere, but also begins to give it away.

It's no secret that children are much more sensitive to the effects environment than adults. Today we'll talk about one of these climatic factors– air humidity.

For the full growth and development of the child, it is necessary to maintain the humidity level in the room, which should be at least 50%. We discussed how to determine humidity here. Those interested can read the article, but for now let’s talk about the dangers of dry air in an apartment.

As the temperature rises, a problem that is especially relevant in the hot season, the air in the apartment becomes drier. This leads to the fact that allergens do not settle, but rather hang in the dry air, making them easily moved around the apartment. These allergens can include ordinary dust, pet hair and plant pollen.

Naturally, each of them can be dangerous for the baby, because it is in early childhood that various allergic reactions often develop. In addition, dry air in the apartment leads to the drying out of the nasopharyngeal mucosa, as a result of which it becomes more vulnerable to the penetration of microbes.

Go ahead. If your child has any health problems, dry air can make the situation even worse. For example, your health will deteriorate or the effectiveness of treatment will decrease. Which can ultimately trigger the development of chronic diseases.

In conclusion, here is an interesting opinion. Pediatricians believe that even absolutely healthy child dry air in the room can lead to changes in the daily pattern of kidney function and the development of dysbacteriosis.

As you know, any problem is easier to prevent than to treat, so you shouldn’t ignore maintaining a healthy microclimate in your apartment; it’s better to read how to increase the humidity in a room and get to work. This article lists methods that are available to absolutely every family and do not require large expenses. And in future publications we will talk about more modern methods maintaining optimal humidity.

Harm of dry air in an apartment

Normal air humidity ranges from 40-60%. And not only an increase in the level, but also a decrease in it, can negatively affect the microclimate of the room, as well as the health and well-being of the residents. And if with increased humidity and dampness the risks of formation increase, then a reduced indicator can lead to no less serious problems.

To understand why increasing humidity levels, we need to consider the harm that lowering them can cause. Here are some problems and risks:

Increased stress on the respiratory system. Firstly, due to excessively dry air, the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract suffer, which begin to become thinner and irritated, which causes symptoms such as a dry, obsessive cough and tickling. Secondly, due to low humidity, it may be more difficult to remove phlegm from the lungs and small particles that enter them during breathing, which will lead to the development of bronchitis or even pneumonia.
Disorders of the cardiovascular system. The human body is largely composed of water, and it is part of the blood and other biological fluids, and is also present in all tissues. If there is a lack of fluid, the blood can thicken, which affects the functioning of the organ that pumps it - the heart.
It is especially important to provide sufficient humidity to a newborn, because in the womb he was in a humid environment, and a sudden change in conditions can become serious stress and a real test for the body.
The mucous membrane of the eyes becomes thinner and depleted, which provokes symptoms such as dryness, pain, redness, and severe discomfort. People who work at a computer or use contact lenses are especially susceptible to these manifestations.
Dryness and flaking of the skin. The skin urgently needs moisture and absorbs it not only from the body, but also from the environment. With insufficient hydration and water deficiency, tissues will become depleted, lose elasticity and firmness, and age and wear out much faster.
Increased risk of nosebleeds. Due to the thinning of the mucous membranes of the nasal cavity caused by excessively dry air, the capillaries will become more vulnerable and brittle, which can lead to their damage.
Brittle hair and nails. Their condition largely depends on environmental conditions, and with a lack of moisture it can noticeably deteriorate.
Cooling of the body, significant heat loss. Dry air retains and retains heat very poorly, so in such conditions people can freeze faster and more severely, especially in the cold season. In addition, the room with low humidity It is not easy to warm up to create a comfortable atmosphere, which automatically increases energy consumption.
Dry air can damage interior elements. Thus, it provokes drying and subsequent cracking of wooden furniture and some musical instruments, provokes significant electrification of synthetic materials, and also accelerates the wear of carpets and fur products, reducing their service life.
The static voltage of household electrical appliances in conditions of reduced humidity prevents the settling of dust and other small particles floating in the air. As a result, the room feels dusty.
Dry air affects pets, who also need moisture.
Water particles contained in the air provide complete hydration of ground parts indoor plants. Therefore, with a reduced level of humidity, flowers may wither and dry out, shed their leaves and lose their decorative properties.
A decrease in the level of such an important indicator can provoke an exacerbation of allergies or chronic diseases.

How can you tell if there is dry air in a room?

How do you know if you need to humidify the air? To do this, you should evaluate the humidity level and identify its decrease. Most often the problem occurs in winter time and is conditioned active use heating devices that stimulate accelerated evaporation and dry out the air in the room. But how do you know when it’s time to act?

The health and well-being of the residents can tell about changes and deterioration of the microclimate in the room. Dry air often provokes an unreasonable dry cough and a sore throat, dry eyes, redness, pain and discomfort.

In addition, due to the thinning of the mucous membranes, the natural protective barrier of the human body weakens, which is why colds and various infections often occur, and immunity decreases. Peeling of the skin and a decrease in their elasticity, brittle hair and delamination of the nail plates are also observed.

Assess the condition of indoor plants. If they grow slowly and their leaves dry out, turn yellow, curl and fall off, it is probably due to a lack of moisture. You can watch your pets. The main indicator of their well-being and health status is the nose: if it is dry, it means the pet is experiencing discomfort, and the level of humidity in the room is significantly reduced.

To assess air humidity, you can use a specialized device that measures this indicator - a hygrometer. But if you don’t have one, you can conduct a simple experiment yourself.

Cool your glass or other glass vessel in the refrigerator and place it away from heaters and other heat sources. If the formed condensation has completely dried after five to ten minutes, this means that the air is dry and urgent measures need to be taken.

How to humidify the air without a humidifier? Basic techniques

There are several ways to humidify the air without a humidifier at home:

Spray water by sprinkling it throughout all rooms using a spray bottle. In this way you can moisturize curtains and curtains, carpets, and indoor plants.
You can place containers filled with water in the room. And they must be open so that moisture can evaporate freely and saturate the air. The vessels can be placed on window sills or near heating appliances. But regular water replacement is required to prevent it from blooming and appearing unpleasant odor. And to speed up the evaporation process, you can place a basin under the radiator, place one end of a bandage or piece of fabric in it, and place the other on the heating device.
Regular drying of clothes in the rooms. If you dry washed clothes not in the bathroom or on the balcony, but in all rooms of the house or apartment, this will increase the humidity. But in order for it to be constantly maintained at an optimal level, the laundry will have to be washed often and in significant volumes. To speed up the process, you can place it near heating devices. Also, don't squeeze things too hard. And if you wash them in washing machine, do not turn on the spin mode.
In winter, you can cover radiators and other heating devices with a damp cloth. Under the influence of heat, moisture will actively evaporate and pass into the air, improving its characteristics. But do not let water get into electrical devices: This may cause them to break and short circuit. The material should be moderately moistened, and constantly, so wet it regularly (with a significant decrease in the humidity level daily or even twice a day).
Use indoor plants that humidify the air. In general, almost all of them synthesize oxygen and also evaporate moisture absorbed by the roots through the leaves. But some flowers are especially useful from this point of view. It is logical that the more foliage a plant has, and the denser and juicier it is, the more water it will release. Choose flowers such as ficus, hibiscus, saintpaulia, dracaena, monstera, nephrolepis, shefflera, phytonia, orchid, cyperus, hypoestes and others like that. Place several pots on the windowsill or pieces of furniture. And if you have a glazed and insulated balcony or loggia, then this space can be turned into a winter garden.
Decorative miniature home pond, such as a fountain or waterfall. It not only normalizes the level of humidity, but also additionally decorates the interior of the room.
You can install an aquarium that will serve as a natural humidifier and give pleasure to all residents of the house or apartment thanks to the aquatic inhabitants in it. Moisture evaporates both through the open surface and during operation of the filtration equipment. But an aquarium is, first of all, a habitat for fish and other creatures, so it will need ongoing care. In addition, to achieve complete hydration, you should select a container of significant volumes.
Frequent ventilation. To maintain a comfortable microclimate, it is recommended to ventilate the room at least two to three times a day. Moreover, this procedure becomes especially effective in the summer, as well as in the off-season, when precipitation often occurs. In winter, when there is severe frost, the air outside is dry, so ventilation will not achieve the desired effect. To humidify, it is recommended to open all windows or vents for at least fifteen to twenty minutes, and preferably for a longer period of time.
To increase the humidity level with your own hands, you can carry out regular and fairly frequent wet cleaning. This procedure allows not only to remove dirt from all surfaces, but also to stimulate the evaporation of moisture. Cleaning should include mandatory washing of floors and wiping off dust with a damp cloth. It is not advisable to use chemical detergents; they are only necessary in case of severe contamination. You also need to regularly wipe the leaves of plants, on which dust also settles. Cleaning should be done twice a week, and in the children's room more often - best every other day or even daily.

Video: 5 ways to humidify the air.

We spend a huge amount of time in our homes, being one hundred percent confident that they are safe for our health. However, in some cases, the human body can suffer from seemingly the most ordinary factors, for example, due to indoor air. The most ordinary air that circulates in our apartments can pose a threat to our health. So, if it is particularly dry, this can provoke the development of many pathological conditions. Why is dry air dangerous in an apartment room? Let's talk about this, as well as about what consequences it may have for our body.

Dry air - consequences and harm of exposure

Radiators, heaters and intense summer heat dry out the air in our homes, burning oxygen. Such processes can pose a serious threat to our health. Too dry air in an apartment can cause a significant decrease in immunity, since a lack of moisture and oxygen negatively affects the functioning of all cells of our body, they become dehydrated.

If you discover the first manifestations of hypoxia - a lack of oxygen, which can be expressed by frequent headaches, weakness and fatigue, as well as sleep disturbances - do not hesitate and take measures to optimize your condition. After all, prolonged use negatively affects the functioning of all organs and systems, and is harmful to the brain.

According to experts, people rarely get sick from the cold. Typically, diseases develop due to the weakening of barriers designed to protect the body from the invasion of aggressive particles. The human mucosa is home to many immune defense cells that can prevent dangerous infectious agents from entering the body. When the air in the room is dry, the mucous membranes constantly dry out, as a result of which bacteria and viruses stop dying in the nasopharynx and are able to penetrate inside the body. In addition, if the humidity in the apartment decreases significantly, the air becomes especially concentrated in tiny particles of dust, pet hair, etc. Therefore, in dry rooms, the likelihood of developing allergic reactions increases by an order of magnitude. And for allergy sufferers, dry air is generally very dangerous.

A lack of moisture and oxygen negatively affects the activity of the entire respiratory system. Too dry indoor air is dangerous for patients with bronchitis, as well as bronchial asthma and other problems of this kind. Due to the narrowing of the bronchi, such people often develop hypoxia even against the background of normal humidity, and dryness leads to especially catastrophic consequences.

The mucous membranes of the eyes also suffer greatly from a lack of moisture in the surrounding air. Their constant drying out can provoke the development of inflammatory processes, and then a decrease in visual acuity. Of course, low level Humidity in the room negatively affects the condition of the skin and hair. The skin dries out, peels, becomes wrinkled and unkempt, hair often suffers from dandruff and split ends, and begins to fall out.

Among other things, too dry indoor air is harmful to the home itself. Indeed, in such an environment, the destruction of household items occurs especially quickly. When the air is dry, active destruction, drying out and deformation of wood begins, as a result of which furniture can crack. Musical instruments in such conditions they don’t keep up, and the parquet dries out.

Dry indoor air is especially harmful for small children, because before they were born they were in conditions of high humidity. In dry conditions, babies sleep poorly, often get sick and recover slowly. They also often suffer from allergies, dryness of the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth, cracks and peeling of the skin.

How to humidify dry air in an apartment?

If you decide to change your living conditions for the better, first of all organize your space in the house. Get rid of dust collectors - excess carpets, pillows, heavy curtains and things lying around the house. Systematically ventilate your apartment at least six times a day, and especially before bed.

If possible, get a special device - a humidifier. In addition, a hygrometer, a device for determining humidity levels, will also be useful.

In addition, you can increase the humidity level by systematically wet cleaning and spraying with a spray bottle. It is highly recommended to place several indoor plants on the windowsill, however, such pets require systematic watering and spraying.

During heating season To increase the humidity level in the room, you can wet several towels and sheets and hang them on the radiators. Such products need to be moistened periodically.

You can also increase the humidity by installing an aquarium in the room, decorative fountain with water, etc.

It is also extremely important to supply a sufficient amount of fluid directly to the body, drinking one and a half to two liters of ordinary clean water per day. To moisturize the mucous membrane of the eyes, you should use special drops, like “Pure Tears,” and for the nose you can buy sea water in a spray, for example, “Aquamaris.”

Thus, maintaining the level of humidity in the home at a sufficient level has a positive effect on the health of all family members.

Ekaterina, www.site

P.S. The text uses some forms characteristic of oral speech.