Numerous medical studies by world-leading universities in the last few decades demonstrate all three mechanisms, from the biological effect - e.g. the self-cleaning of the mucous membranes, to the intact renewal of the lung cells and the production of antiviral genes, which only work in moderate humidity!
Also that coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 spreads more intensely in indoor spaces via aerosols at low humidity.
Here is a summary of the most important results, which gives an understandable overview even for non-medical professionals and offers a sound basis about the advantages of a minimum air humidity for the protection of health.
A selection of the latest and most relevant scientific papers.
We spend 90 percent of our time in closed rooms. The lack of humidity in the interior has a significant impact on well-being and leads to:
Air that is too dry also damages the ingenious protective mechanism of the respiratory tract: the mucous layer dries up, becomes tough and prevents the cilia from moving so that viruses and germs can no longer be transported away. This creates a significantly increased risk of colds. Older people, children and people with sensitive mucous membranes such as allergy sufferers and contact lens wearers particularly suffer from this. Read more here.
The Condair Cube is an advanced air quality sensor that is designed to monitor the air for unsafe levels of humidity, temperature, and CO2. It is compatible with a PC, so you can showcase the quality of the air to your guests on a monitor or television. Using an easily identifiable traffic light system, users can identify their indoor air quality levels and take corrective action.
Buy Now
2. In the app, add your room humidity and temperature level to check if you room has optimal humidity for health and wellness.
3. Always make sure the humidity in your home is kept between 40-60% RH. This will minimize virus transmission and reduce respiratory infections keeping your family and pets, healthy and happy all year round.
TIPS for the prevention of respiratory infections and illnesses in winter months:
The air in your home becomes drier when the air outside is colder! This can be associated with an increase in heated, dry air from a furnace. But opening the windows won't help your dry skin, as cold air contains little moisture. When cold air rushes into a house and is warmed up, its relative humidity drops to very low levels.
Never humidify by feeling: check the humidity with a hygrometer and humidify the air while maintaining an optimal relative humidity of 40–60%. In poorly insulated apartments with thin walls, 50% relative humidity should not be exceeded because of the risk of condensation.
In winter, you may also take a vitamin D supplement to avoid any deficiency caused by the shorter days and little daylight. This, along with the ideal indoor humidity, will improve your immune system's functioning and prevent many seasonal and chronic diseases.
Having more than 7 hours of sleep per night is incredibly important increased immune defense. If the air is too dry, however, it often leads to disturbed sleep: coughing fits, snoring, or the throat becomes very irritated and painful. If the climate in the bedroom is set to the correct temperature and humidity range, your sleep will be much more restful because your airways will no longer dry out as much.
