How close should you sleep to a humidifier? Placing the humidifier in your space might be confusing, especially when you cannot get enough knowledge on this topic through its manual.
How Close Should You Sleep to a Humidifier?
Table of Contents
You must be wondering if it is safe to sleep near the humidifier and create any potential damage to your room. Here you will learn where to place the humidifier in your room to have a healthy environment.
Types of humidifier
Most bedrooms need more space. So how close should you sleep to a humidifier? Is the dilemma. Always consider some ultrasonic units, which can create condensation if overused. You must be surprised that excessive humidity can mold soft furnishings and wooden surfaces in confined spaces. Sometimes you can also observe the dampness. Instead, you can use an evaporative model.
On the other hand, ultrasonic humidifiers can be quitters, so they are best for sleeping in any environment. You can also consider some automatic units, turning the team off when it reaches the desired humidity level. This way, they try to lower the chances of over-humidifying your room. Furthermore, the built-in humidistat is a particular feature to look at while selecting the humidifier.
Is it reasonable to sleep with a humidifier?
You must be wondering why you must sleep with the humidifier. Dry air has its consequences. Different seasons bring different hazards of dry air like:
Winter
Winder season is more prone to dry air when people are living indoors and doors are enclosed. Ultimately, it makes the indoor air dry with a warm atmosphere. Dry air is the host for spreading influenza, cold, and coronavirus.
Primarily, such problems can easily be transmitted when the air is dry. Hence, the humidifier’s foremost benefit is preventing airborne disease, especially in seasonal viruses. Especially when the air is dry, the humidifier will ultimately moisturize the upper respiratory passages and nasal. The perfect thing that will support you to breathe more manageably when you have chest congestion, runny nose, sore throat, or cough.
Summer
Summer is the season when the indoor and outdoor air is dry naturally. In addition, in summer, air conditioning will remove moisture naturally. Ultimately, it makes the indoor home dry, creating health problems. In the end, the air-conditioner can dry out the nasal passages, sinuses, and throat, especially while sleeping. In the sensitive tissues, it leads to swelling and inflammation quickly.
Hence, a humidifier is the best option, which can protect you while sleeping in the summer and alleviate the symptoms of dry air with some seasonal allergies. To counteract the mold and pollen, a cool mist can play a practical part.
Other benefits of humidifiers
Perfect sleep with a humidifier is the utmost benefit of having one. You can sleep better with a humidifier at night. You might be wondering why? Then there are the benefits of having one in your room:
Increase the overall comfort
You can raise the optimal humidity level while enhancing your comfort, especially when trying to sleep when the humidifier is running at night. Easing an irritated throat and an itchy throat is also possible.
White noise effect
A humidifier can also increase the white noise effect, especially when turned on overnight. Especially the soft hum can soothe your overall mental health and calm you down when you nod off.
Decrease snoring
When the nasal cavities, pallet, mouth, and airway are dried out, it worsens the snoring. In addition, such vibrations make the snoring intensify while drying the tissues. At the same time, you turn on the humidifier before bed, which alleviates the loud snoring while providing more moisture to the tissues.
Improving indoor air quality in overall home
It will provide the same humidifier in your bedroom throughout the home while considering the whole house humidifier. In addition, such equipment will provide the best result while working with the central heating system and the regular furnace, delivering more humid air to your room.
Best for sleep disorder
If you face different sleeping problems, there can be other underlying problems. Hence, sleep health solutions will provide adequate support for treating and diagnosing various sleep disorders.
Types of humidifiers and their associated risks
Several humidifiers have different essential functions to add moisture to the air. Such types are:
Steam vaporizers
They use electricity to make steam; it cools before leaving the unit. However, on the other hand, there is some risk of burning the skin. So especially avoid using steam vaporizers around your children.
Ultrasonic humidifiers
For vaporizing water, these units use vibrations instead of electricity.
Evaporators
Here the vapors can be produced when the air is blown past the evaporating water to make humidity.
Impeller humidifier
A perfect child-friendly option uses rotating disks, not heat, to vaporize water.
Central humidifier
To make your space moisture-rich, you can add all of your space moisture-rich. You can connect the humidifier to the central air conditioning system in the office or in-home.
However, sizes can change. On the other hand, the console humidifier is sufficient to add moisture to your entire office and house. On the other hand, the personal humidifier is easy to carry and portable.
Risks of humidifier
A humidifier is a perfect way to add more moisture to the air. However, there is some risk to consider.
Dirty humidifiers
Most humidifiers can turn water into breathable vapor in the air. On the other hand, if the unit water tank is dirty, the smoke you will be breathing will also be contaminated. Especially considering that the humid and dark tank is the environment that fosters the germs, but regular cleaning will assist you in preventing any of its issues.
Hence, it is recommended to clean the humidifier as directed by the manufacturers. In addition, water must sit for a short time if the humidifier has some filter. Finally, make sure to replace the overall dirt often.
Too much humidity
The humidity in the air is a good thing. Still, most of the levels can make breathing difficult, and sometimes the allergy symptoms can worsen, including mold, mites, mildew, and especially in damp environments.
The United States environmental protection agency (EPA) must have 30 to 50 percent indoor humidity levels. Moreover, humidity levels must be around 60 percent, or they can be a little high. Significantly, the one using a humidifier must have a hygrometer and humidity meter in the room. On the other hand, some humidifiers must have built-in ways of measuring the humidity. On the other hand, they can require a standalone meter.
Using tap or hard water
It is better to use clean or pure water in their humidifiers. Some reasons are mentioned below:
Unfiltered tap water
Most tap water has unfiltered water, which contains a significant level of minerals. However, on the other hand, some particles are also there, which are distilled or purified. This way, a mineral that builds in the machine can wear it faster than expected. In addition, a humidifier can push the minerals into the air, and if the person inhales it, the particles can settle around as dust in the room.
Other risks
A humidifier can help with dry sinuses. However, it can ultimately create harm. Mold growth and dust mite are the ones that can be promoted in humid environments. Suppose people are allergic to mold and dust. If they have asthma, a humidifier can work best in such conditions.
On the other hand, some other risks linked with a humidifier might include steam burns from the unit used for mold growth and heat, where the moisture can accumulate on ceilings and walls. Getting too close to the machine is harmful in such an accord. Furthermore, while using one with children has its own risk, it is always good to guide them properly.
Where to Place a Humidifier in a Baby’s Room?
Since a humidifier is essential whether you are living in a cold or dry region, in this way, it is super important to have one in your little one’s room. However, if you get one for your baby’s room and wonder where to put it, read on!
Distance of humidifier from the baby
It is always good to place the humidifier three feet away from the baby’s crib and bed. Create moisture at your place after placing it where it can disperse quickly, in the area where you want the humidity, especially without accumulating it on the surface. In addition, it is good to place two feet away from the ground when the water-resistant tray is below.
Humidifier benefits for baby
If the indoor moisture level drops, it can be more problematic for babies than adults. This is because a Baby’s respiratory system and skin are super sensitive. For such reasons, humidifiers are essential for your baby’s room, especially in winter when you have some dry season.
Your baby will get comfortable breathing, and the baby’s rash prevention is a plus. In addition, with the help of a humidifier, the child’s skin will be moist.
Best place to put a humidifier in the Bedroom
Hence, you must consider several things before placing the humidifier in your baby’s room. Following are the Best place to put a humidifier in the Bedroom
- Distance from your baby’s bed or crib
The best is to put the humidifiers some feet away from the baby’s bed. Because of the direct vapor and mist exposure, placing the humidifier too close to the baby is not a good option.
Primarily, it is not good whether you are using warm mist humidifiers, cold mist, or ultrasonic humidifiers.
Always keep it 3 to 4 feet away from your little one’s sleep position. Some humidifiers can also produce soft noises while operating, disturbing the child’s sleep.
If your little one has a cold, then the warm mist humidifier is the one to choose. You can place the humidifier a little close. It can only be a temporary measure.
- Positioning in the room
The best way is to put the humidifier in the center of the room. On the other hand, you can also set the humidifier on the top of the table with the cloth, which is water-resistant, and the material, which releases damage on the table’s surface over time.
Suppose you need help keeping the humidifier at the center of the room. Please only keep it on the edges or side of the room. The moisture will spread out only partially and evenly.
Hence, reducing efficiency. The furniture or the table can also affect you, so the humidifier is not wobbly. Make it as fastened and sturdy as possible with the table and the humidifier.
- Height from the ground
The humidifier must be in a position that your baby cannot reach. Kids are sometimes curious, and you do not need them to get their hands on the humidifier.
Therefore, placing them 2 to 3 feet above the floor is always better, especially when the baby cannot reach or move around independently. You should put it somewhat above when your baby gets older.
Placement based on the humidifier
- Ultrasonic humidifier
This humidifier is infamous for making fine dust, which it makes from the mist. Distilled water is recommended here, but ensure that you do not put it too close to your baby to prevent them from covering themselves from the mist.
- Steam vaporizer
One of the best choices of humidifiers for your babies is because boiling water can kill viruses and bacteria. However, the worst part of the story is it can burn your child and is super-hot. For best practices, place it 4 feet away from your child. Height must be ideally kept beyond one of your baby’s heights.
- Warm mist humidifier
A steam vaporizer works on the same principle as a warm mist works. However, it is slightly cooled. Such humidifiers are not that risky and must always be placed away from your little one.
- Evaporative cool mist humidifier
You will not face any potential risk which can burn your child. However, in this way, they must be placed far away from your little one if you want to prevent them from being covered in mist.
Maintenance and cleaning of humidifiers
A dirty humidifier can be the reason for different diseases in your little one. In this way, the best practice is to clean it daily. However, if you cannot, then you must do it after every 2 to 3 days. Some essential tips on the cleaning and maintenance of humidifiers are as under:
- Pour vinegar and water into the humidifier base and let it be there for half an hour.
- Gentle brushing can also make it clean with a soft brush.
- Use bleach to disinfect the humidifier base.
- Cool mist humidifiers must be filtered and immersed in vinegar and water solution for 20 to 30 minutes to produce cool mist.
- After then, it is better to rinse the humidifier thoroughly and keep them dried before reassembling it.
- Always use distilled and filtered water inside the humidifier to prevent the buildup of minerals.
- Leaving humidifiers unused for a long time can make them dirty and harmful. Therefore, it is good to clean them daily.
What placement to avoid?
- Please do not put it near any electrical outlet.
- Cord crossing can create the risk of tripping, so you must avoid it.
- Please only put it near a heated surface, for example, a radiator.
FAQs
Is it OK to sleep next to a humidifier?
If you leave the humidifier running all night, there is no problem. On the other hand, some people have a low tolerance for high humidity. Therefore, you must consider your health and how your body reacts.
Where should a humidifier be placed in a bedroom?
Always keep the humidifier 3 feet away from the bed. It is because no one wants to breathe in the moist discharge of the humidifier directly. For better results, place it on the floor and the shelf, away from the bed.
Conclusion
Overall, it is recommended to have a humidifier in your room for better results. Furthermore, the mist and humidity are the overall requirements, especially in dry weather. In such a way, it is good to have a humidifier in your room.