10 Reasons – Can Sleeping With A Humidifier Make You Sick?

Can sleeping with a humidifier make you sick? Do you have to worry about bacteria or mold growth in your humidifier?

Sleeping with a humidifier can make you sick if you don’t clean it regularly.

Can Sleeping With A Humidifier Make You Sick?

Many circumstances can come with using a humidifier. Whether it makes you sick or not depends on several factors.

However, the simple answer is yes; it is possible to get sick using a humidifier.

Let’s discuss how and when you can get sick from using a humidifier and how to clean your humidifier to prevent this from happening.

1. Breeding Ground for Bacteria and Mold:

When you use a humidifier, the water in the unit can become a breeding ground for bacteria and mold.

If the water is not changed often enough, these contaminants can be released into the air. It leads to respiratory infections and other illnesses.

Moreover, overusing a humidifier can worsen your symptoms if you have a pre-existing lung condition.

Or, if you are allergic to dust mites, using a humidifier can cause an asthma attack.

2. Poor Air Quality:

Another reason why you might get sick from sleeping with a humidifier is poor air quality.

If the humidifier is not used correctly, it can pollute the air in your room.

The humidifier can release dust mites, allergens, and other particles into the air.

And if you have asthma or allergies, these particles can trigger an attack. Also, if the humidifier is not cleaned correctly, it can release bacteria and mold into the air.

And as we explained before, this can lead to respiratory and other illnesses. Some allergic reactions include sneezing, watery eyes, and a runny nose.

3. Chest Congestion:

Another symptom of using a humidifier is chest congestion. This happens when the air in your room is too moist.

It can cause the mucus in your chest to become thick and hard to get rid of.

This can lead to difficulty breathing, coughing, and even bronchitis. Sometimes, chest congestion can also be a symptom of an underlying respiratory infection.

Or it could be a reaction to the particles in the air if you have asthma or allergies.

Whatever the case, if you experience chest congestion, you must see a doctor to rule out any severe underlying conditions.

4. Sore Throat:

Sore throat happens when the tissues in your throat become irritated.

A virus often causes it, but it can also be caused by bacteria, allergies, or dry air.

If you sleep with a humidifier, the extra moist air can aggravate your sore throat and worsen it.

Or, if the humidifier is not cleaned correctly, it can release bacteria and mold into the air. Inhaling these particles can irritate your throat and cause a sore throat.

5. Sinus Infections:

Sinus infections are also common among people who use too many humidifiers.

This is because the moist air can aggravate your sinuses and make them more inflamed.

Sinuses are hollow spaces in your skull lined with mucus membranes.

And when these membranes become inflamed, it can lead to a sinus infection. The symptoms of a sinus infection include a runny nose, headache, and fever.

6. Dry Skin:

While humidifiers can help moisturize your skin, using too much can make your skin dry.

This is because the humidifier can remove the natural oils from your skin.

And when this happens, it can make your skin more susceptible to infections. It can also lead to wrinkles and premature aging.

You might feel dehydrated, and your skin might feel itchy. If you have eczema, using too much humidifier can also worsen your symptoms.

Now that we shared some health-related risks of sleeping with a humidifier. Let’s share some other risks associated with it.

7. Pets And Children:

There are also other risks associated with using a humidifier. For example, the extra moisture in the air can attract fleas if you have pets.

Fleas can cause several problems for your pet. These include skin irritation, allergies, and even anemia.

So if you have pets, it’s essential to be extra careful when using a humidifier. The same goes for children.

If you have young children, extra moisture in air can increase their risk of infections.

And your young children may play with the humidifier. This can lead to injuries if they accidentally knock it over.

8. Hardwood Floors:

Another risk of using a humidifier is damaging your hardwood floors.

The extra moisture in the air can cause the wood to warp and discolor.

So if you have hardwood floors, you’ll need to be extra careful when using a humidifier.

They’re also more likely to develop mold and mildew. Sometimes, the only way to fix the damage is to replace the floor entirely.

9. Electrical Fires:

Another risk of using a humidifier is that it can cause an electrical fire.

This is because the humidifier adds moisture to the air. And if there’s already moisture in the air, it can create a conducive environment.

This means that the electrical current can travel through the air and cause a fire.

So it’s essential to be extra careful when using a humidifier. Make sure to keep it away from any electrical outlets or appliances.

10. Houseplants:

If you have houseplants, the extra moisture in the air can cause them to rot.

The extra moisture can also attract pests, like aphids and whiteflies.

They can infest your plants and make them sick. Likewise, the extra moisture can also encourage mold and mildew to grow on your plants.

With houseplants, you have to take extra care when using a humidifier. Keep them away from the humidifier, and only use it when necessary.

So here are ten risks associated with sleeping with a humidifier. If you have health concerns, consult your doctor before using a humidifier.

However, as we said, that happens only if you don’t take care of it and use it too much.

If you use it moderately and take good care of it, then a humidifier can benefit your health.

How To Take Good Care Of Your Humidifier

So we will now discuss how to take good care of your humidifier to prevent any health problems.

You can avoid most of the risks we discussed by taking good care of your humidifier.

Here are a few tips for maintaining your humidifier:

1. Change The Water Daily:

This is the most important thing you can do to take care of your humidifier.

You should change the water every day. The humidifier can become a breeding ground for bacteria and mold if you don’t change the water.

It takes hardly 5 minutes to change the water. So there’s no excuse not to do it.

2. Clean The Humidifier:

You should also clean the humidifier regularly. Depending on the type of humidifier, you may need to clean it once a week or once a month.

If you don’t clean the humidifier, it can cause black mold to grow inside it.

And when the mold grows, it can release toxins into the air. These toxins can be harmful to your health.

To clean the humidifier, you can use mild soap and water.

Steps To Clean Your Humidifier

Let’s now take a look at the steps you need to follow in cleaning your humidifier:

1. Unplug the humidifier and empty it.

2. Take the humidifier apart and clean each piece with soap and water.

3. Rinse the pieces with clean water and let them air dry.

4. Once the pieces are dry, put the humidifier back together.

5. Fill the humidifier with clean water and turn it on.

3. Use Distilled Water:

To be extra safe, you should use distilled water in your humidifier.Tap water can contain minerals that can build up in your humidifier.

And over time, these minerals can damage the humidifier. So it’s best to use distilled water.

Distilled water is water that has been purified and doesn’t contain any minerals. And it was not that expensive. You can easily find it at your local grocery store.

4. Don’t Overuse The Humidifier:

You should also avoid using the humidifier too much. Remember, the humidifier adds moisture to the air.

And if there’s already moisture in the air, it can cause problems like mold and mildew.

And even electric shocks. So it’s best to use the humidifier only when necessary.

The ideal humidity level is actually between 30% and 50%.

If the humidity level is below 30%, you can use a humidifier to add moisture to the air.

But if the humidity level is above 50%, you should avoid using a humidifier.

5. Don’t Put The Humidifier On The Carpet:

You should also avoid putting the humidifier on the carpet. The humidifier can leak and damage the carpet.

So it’s best to put the humidifier on a hard surface like a table or a shelf.

When sleeping, you should also avoid putting the humidifier on your bed.

If it is a portable one, you can put it on your side table. And if you have a console humidifier, you can put it on the floor next to your bed.

It will help relieve your congestion, cold, and flu symptoms.

However, if you put it too close and overuse it, it can make you sick.

6. Don’t Let The Humidifier Run Dry:

Another essential thing to remember is never to let the humidifier run dry.

If the humidifier runs dry, it can overheat and cause a fire. So always make sure to keep the humidifier filled with water.

The ideal water level is actually between 1/2 and 2/3 whole. Or you can follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

7. Look For Leaks And Cracks:

Before using the humidifier, you should always check for leaks and cracks. If you find any, you should avoid using the humidifier.

You can just fill the humidifier with water and check for any leaks to find leaks.

And to find cracks, you should look at the humidifier carefully. See if there are any cracks or breaks in the body of the humidifier.

So here are a few things to remember when using a humidifier. By following these tips, you can use the humidifier safely and avoid making yourself sick.

Final Word:

Can sleeping with a humidifier make you sick? Yes, but if you follow the proper safety precautions, you can avoid this. A humidifier can be a great way to relieve your congestion, cold, and flu symptoms.

However, it’s important to remember to use it safely. Be sure to clean the humidifier regularly, use distilled water, and don’t overuse it.

By following these tips, you can use the humidifier safely and avoid making yourself sick.