As the winter months approach, we prepare for colder days, fewer hours of daylight, and an uptick in indoor heating. But one thing many people don’t anticipate is the impact of dry winter air on their sleep. It’s common to wake up with a scratchy throat, dry skin, or even a nosebleed when the air in your home loses its moisture. So, what causes this dry air, how does it affect your sleep, and what can you do to combat it? Let’s explore how using a whole-house humidifier can help restore restful nights.

The Science Behind Dry Winter Air

Cold air holds less moisture than warm air. When the temperature drops, the relative humidity in the air decreases, making the environment feel much drier. To make matters worse, indoor heating systems, while essential for keeping our homes warm, tend to suck any remaining moisture out of the air. This combination of cold outdoor air and dry, heated indoor air results in a harsh, dry environment that can wreak havoc on our bodies, especially at night.

How Dry Air Affects Sleep

• Dry Skin and Irritated Eyes: Winter air can cause your skin to lose moisture rapidly, resulting in dry, itchy, or even cracked skin. The dryness can also irritate your eyes, making them feel gritty and uncomfortable, further disrupting your sleep.
• Respiratory Discomfort and Snoring: Dry air can dehydrate nasal passages and the throat, making it difficult to breathe comfortably, particularly while sleeping. This may lead to congestion, sinus headaches, and worsening of conditions like snoring or sleep apnea, as inflamed or dry airways can increase the likelihood of snoring. Waking up with a dry or scratchy throat is a common sign that the air in your home may be too dry.
• Increased Susceptibility to Illness: Dry air can make your respiratory system more vulnerable to viruses and infections, such as colds and the flu. It dries out the mucous membranes that line your nose and throat, which are your body’s first line of defense against these pathogens. Being sick or uncomfortable only adds to the disruption of your sleep cycle.

Whole-Home Humidifiers: A Comprehensive Solution

AprilAire Whole-Home Humidifiers provide a consistent and balanced level of humidity throughout your entire home. Installed directly into your HVAC system, these humidifiers work to regulate the moisture in the air across every room, benefiting everyone in the household. Here’s how a whole-home humidifier can help:

• Healthier Sleep for the Whole Family: When your home maintains an optimal humidity level, everyone breathes easier. By reducing dry air’s impact on the respiratory system, a whole-home humidifier can help prevent snoring, ease congestion, and reduce nighttime coughing. This leads to healthier, uninterrupted sleep for everyone in the house. 
• Protects Your Skin and Health: Whole-home humidification helps protect against dry skin, chapped lips, and irritated eyes, common problems during winter months. By adding moisture back into the air, your skin stays hydrated, and your eyes won’t feel irritated, allowing for greater comfort throughout the day and night. Additionally, a properly humidified environment keeps your immune system functioning optimally by keeping mucous membranes moist and ready to fight off germs.
• Energy Efficiency and Convenience: One of the significant benefits of a whole-home humidifier is that it works seamlessly with your existing HVAC system. There’s no need to constantly refill water tanks or move portable units from room to room. These systems are designed to automatically adjust humidity levels based on the conditions in your home, offering a convenient and energy-efficient solution to combat dry air all winter long.

Why Choose an AprilAire Whole-Home Humidifier?

AprilAire Whole-Home Humidifiers go beyond improving sleep quality—they provide unparalleled performance and energy efficiency tailored to the needs of modern homes. The AprilAire 720 Humidifier, with industry-leading capacity+, delivers up to 21 gallons of moisture per day, ensuring your home stays comfortable and free from dry winter air.

Engineered with sustainability at its core, the 720 uses 60% less wastewater* and operates at twice the efficiency* of standard models. Its innovative design, featuring the one-piece HydroCore™ cartridge, simplifies maintenance, allowing you to complete annual upkeep in just 60 seconds.** 

When you invest in an AprilAire 720 Humidifier, you’re not only enhancing your Indoor Air Quality but also choosing a more sustainable and efficient solution. It’s the ideal choice for maintaining a healthy, comfortable home and ensuring restful sleep throughout the winter.

Ready to combat dry air and wake up rejuvenated? Find an AprilAire Healthy Air Professional to get started.

 

*Compared to AprilAire 700 Humidifier

**Changing HydroCore™ only

+Compared to leading evaporative humidifier claimed capacities