Why Bother Buying a Humidifier? 3 Key Benefits — and the Limitations

Health Line

5 hours ago

Key takeaways
Experts have long recommended humidifiers to soothe throats and noses, but research on how they affect allergies and skin is mixed.
Research has shown that air at around 42% humidity helps kill airborne viruses.
We like the Levoit 600S and the Homedics Ultrasonic Humidifier.

A quick look at our humidifier picks
I count one, two, three humidifiers in my house — one in the main bedroom and one in each of my kids' rooms.
I first purchased a humidifier for my son's room when he was a baby, only because it's on every baby registry. It's just what you do, like checking a box on the way to becoming a parent. And I happen to live in a particularly dry climate, even in summer.
But I'll never forget being pregnant with my second baby, sick with the worst cough ever, awake at 2 a.m., breathing into a warm, wet washcloth to soothe my throat. It was the definition of miserable. Fed up and desperate for anything that would help, I ordered a humidifier for my bedroom then and there. Overnight Amazon delivery, yes, please.
Now, coming off the peak of a particularly hard and insanely disruptive cold and flu season, I'm running out of reasons to procrastinate purchasing another one that can humidify our main living area.
But I found myself wondering, 'Are these really doing anything?' So I did some research to find out. The answer — mostly yes.
Here's what I learned.
It does ward off viruses, and we're starting to understand why
Word on the street is that higher humidity levels can make it harder for viruses to survive, and studies are starting to support this theory.
A 2018 study examined air samples from preschool classrooms and samples from hard surfaces in the classrooms. Researchers increased the humidity in some rooms but not others. The rooms that were not humidified experienced twice as many flu cases, and humidity levels between 42% and 45% were found to decrease the presence of the influenza virus.
More recent research helped explain this, determining that when there is more moisture in the air, it produces hydrogen peroxide compounds, which are antiviral. This means viruses are more likely to be destroyed once exhaled into the air.
Now, if your kid picks up the virus at school or your spouse brings it home from work, they may be out of luck. But if your house is humidified correctly (and you disinfect the heck outta every surface), it may help prevent germs from spreading to the rest of your family.
It may help relieve allergy symptoms but don't over humidify either
In addition to empowering viruses, low humidity can team up with allergens to make you feel more miserable — not ideal. Dry air can further irritate and dry out the nasal passageways and make it more difficult to soothe inflammation caused by dust and allergens.
Conversely, raising humidity levels can help soothe the nasal passageways and a sore throat. When nasal tissue is more moist, it can better clear out allergens.
But there's a but. Dust mites, which cause allergies, also thrive in moisture. So it's also important not to over humidify and keep levels between 40% and 50%. This will help prevent mold and other bacteria from thriving as well.
It might help with dry skin, but it's best alongside other defenses
Not surprisingly, if there is less moisture in the air, there is also less moisture in your skin.
This is one area where humidifiers allegedly help, but limited research has been able to strongly connect humidifiers to improvements in dry skin.
But we do know that low humidity, cold weather, and dry climates tend to breed dry skin. A 2016 review concluded that low humidity is tough on the skin barrier, making it more susceptible to irritation and more vulnerable to atopic dermatitis flare-ups (also known as eczema).
So, adding more moisture to your air indoors may give your skin a fighting chance. But don't skip out on gentle exfoliation, lotion, and drinking water.
Final verdict
While more research is needed, arming your room with a humidifier is one good defense against viruses, especially in the cold winter months when dry air tends to be the weak link between you and getting sick. While not a magic cure-all, it may help reduce the risk of spreading cold, flu, and viruses that cause COVID-19.
However, it's also important to clean them properly. As helpful as they can be, their work is undone if bacteria start to grow within them. Then, they may actually become the culprit.