High humidity can have a number of adverse effects on the human body. It can contribute to feelings of low energy and lethargy. In addition, high humidity can cause hyperthermia — over-heating as a result of your body's inability to effectively let out heat.
In humid conditions, the air becomes populated by hydrogen and nitrogen as well as oxygen, and our lungs have to work harder to get oxygen from the air. This is part of the reason why we feel so lethargic in humidity, and why physical activity can be especially taxing.
However, too much humidity in the home can also make you sick or uncomfortable. The excess moisture can result in mold and dust mites. This can be especially dangerous if you suffer from allergies and asthma. If you use a humidifier in the cold weather months, you also need to be aware of this danger.
Temperature Variations
Humid weather especially causes already sensitive or inflamed tissues to expand, increasing pain for arthritis sufferers.
The level of humidity in your home can influence your personal health in a number of ways. Excessively high humidity, for example, is associated with higher concentrations of allergens, whereas exposure to excessively low humidity can cause health problems such as dry skin, itchy eyes, and a sore throat.
Heat related illness is a side effect of struggling with the heat. The extra work for the heart and the lungs can combine with fluid and salt loss to cause a range of problems. Mild effects include the familiar red itchy heat rash.
Humidity can also cause symptoms of dizziness and dehydration. This can remind people of their past experiences of panic attacks and lead to increased feelings of fear and anxiety.
less than or equal to 55: dry and comfortable. between 55 and 65: becoming "sticky" with muggy evenings. greater than or equal to 65: lots of moisture in the air, becoming oppressive.
Summer can be the most humid months, with 80 to 90 percent humidity outside. Indoors, humidity levels of about 30 percent to 50 percent are considered comfortable. Indoor humidity levels higher than 50 percent can cause mildew, condensation, mold, pest damage and allergies.
(Aug. 25, 2022) — Exposure to sunny, hot and humid weather can trigger severe symptoms of mental disorders, requiring emergency care.
When the relative humidity of the air is high, it makes the air temperature feel much hotter than it is. Your thermometer may read 88° F on a hot summer day, but if the relative humidity is 75 percent, it will feel like a sizzling 103° F.
Breathing in humid air activates nerves in your lungs that narrow and tighten your airways. Humidity also makes the air stagnant enough to trap pollutants and allergens like pollen, dust, mold, dust mites, and smoke. These can set off your asthma symptoms.
Recent studies suggest that middle-aged and older men and women may be more susceptible to greater heat strain at physiologically significant levels of dehydration than those younger.
Use dehumidifiers and air conditioners, especially in hot, humid climates, to reduce moisture in the air, but be sure that the appliances themselves don't become sources of biological pollutants. Raise the temperature of cold surfaces where moisture condenses. Use insulation or storm windows.
High humidity also causes allergic rhinitis (hay fever) that shows symptoms like sneezing, coughing, itchy or watery eyes, wheezing etc. Low humidity, on the other hand, causes skin-related allergies like dry skin or scaly skin.
The easiest solution is to invest in a humidifier. These devices constantly monitor the levels of airborne moisture vapor, releasing additional moisture back into the air when needed.
Very high humidity really can cause sinus infections. The reason for this is that your respiratory defense processes don't work at full efficiency when the air is heavy and wet. And for a little thing called cilia, that's particularly true.
Breathing hot humid air induces airway irritation and cough in patients with allergic rhinitis - PMC.
The Health and Safety Executive recommends that relative humidity indoors should be maintained at 40-70%, while other experts recommend that the range should be 30-60%. Most people find 30-60% most comfortable and this is the level that Airthings recommends.
How can you tell when the humidity is too high inside your home? There are a couple of telltale signs like clammy skin, foggy windows, and a heavy yet warm atmosphere. But you can also smell mildew or musty odors when your home is much too humid, which comes from moisture buildup.
When the indoor humidity level is below 30 percent, the air is too dry, which can harm both a home's structural integrity and the homeowners' health. Conversely, when the level is above 60 percent, the air is too wet, which is also harmful to both the home and the homeowners.