Is It Safe To Sleep with a Humidifier Every Night? 

Is it healthy to sleep with a humidifier every night, or should you avoid it?

Well, there is no problem at all. But when you buy the best humidifier for sleeping, you want one that can go through the whole night without you having to wake up to refill it.

This, therefore, may rule out the smallest desktop humidifiers. You may want a bigger one.

What happens when people sleep without their humidifier?  The dry air does what it does best—parches their skin.

But today, with a bedroom humidifier, it is possible to rectify the situation. It is possible to wake up feeling refreshed, happy and rejuvenated.

As you will see here, there is more to choosing a bedroom humidifier than choosing between a warm or cool mist humidifier.

If you check the online marketplaces, you will find different humidifiers for better sleep. You can also check on Amazon, where you will also read reviews left by other users.

How can a humidifier for sleeping help you?

Is it healthy to sleep with a humidifier every night

We could say that a humidifier for the bedroom can help you sleep by making the air comfortable to breathe. And, of course, that is the very first objective of buying this appliance. However, there is more to it than that.

As the night progresses, the air gets colder. And drier! Thus, we can say that when you are sound asleep, in the dead of night, that is the time that you really need a humidifier. It is more important to run a humidifier at night than in the daytime.

When you sleep in cold, dry air, despite being covered up for warmth, the dry air can cause some problems. For example, dry air can cause you to develop a serious cough, throat problems, and trouble breathing.

As the dry air passes over the nerve endings in the airways, it can be too rough on them, causing you pain.

Thankfully, a humidifier for the bedroom can get matters right fast and with minimal cost. If you live in a place that has dry air, you should never go to sleep without a humidifier.

Sleeping with a humidifier every night enhances your comfort

One of the main reasons for getting a humidifier for your home is to enhance your comfort. While this sounds just so-so, you know how dry air can be. It hurts your airways, including your nostrils.

And even before you ask, no, there is no danger in sleeping through the night with the humidifier on. You see, the humidifiers of today are not like the crude rigs of decades ago.

Today, a good humidifier for the bedroom has a humidistat feature. Once the humidity reaches the set level, the humidifier automatically stops its operation.

Maintaining the appropriate humidity level in your home is very important for the sake of your health and even material items.

Dry air has been proven to cause various respiratory problems, such as asthma, congested air passages, and sinusitis, among others.

Dry air aggravates allergy symptoms and causes cracked lips, irritated throats, cracked and itchy skin, and other symptoms.

Apart from causing damage to your health, dry air can also cause negative effects on your home’s interior. For example, dry air can cause cracking and warping on your wooden furniture, fittings, and floors.

Dry indoor air can also damage your wallpaper, causing it to peel along the edges. These damages are usually unappealing and expensive to renovate.

Are all humidifiers good for sleeping?

Having a humidifier in your home is one of the most effective ways to deal with the problem of dry air.

A humidifier improves the humidity level in your space by releasing some mist into the air, enhancing your overall health and indoor comfort.

Humidifiers are mostly used during the colder seasons to combat the effects of dry air caused by appliances that crank up your indoor temperature.

However, they can still be used throughout the year to create excellent moisture levels or ease respiratory issues.

One of the best times to run your humidifier is at night while sleeping. It ensures that you sleep well without experiencing dry air problems and that you wake up in a properly humidified room.

However, it is important to note that not all humidifiers on the market are suitable for sleeping. Humidifiers for sleeping should have certain features.

These ensure that you not only enjoy excellent air moisture while asleep but also enjoy an uninterrupted rest.

Features to look for in a humidifier for sleeping

The best humidifier for sleeping should have some special features. This means that you cannot just go to Amazon.com and order any humidifier for a large room.

You should always look for these key features when buying your bedroom humidifier to help you sleep. Thankfully, humidifiers for bedrooms, the baby’s room, and the living room are not all that different.

Here are the features to look for:

1. Automatic Shut Off

The best humidifier for sleeping should come with an automatic shut-off feature. The function of an automatic shut-off is to turn off your unit every time it runs out of water.

This is a very important feature since it ensures that your humidifier runs safely without overheating. It also ensures that there is no waste of your electricity.

ideal humidity level for bedroom to avoid condensation

Humidifiers with this kind of feature are the best. This is because they allow you to sleep peacefully without worrying that you might run out of water in the middle of the night.

They also ensure that you enjoy uninterrupted sleep since you don’t need to wake up in the middle of the night to refill the reservoir.

2. Impurity-removing features

Unless you always use distilled water in your humidifier, some impurities are bound to be released into your air along with the mist.

This is because unfiltered water contains various contaminants, which, if inhaled, can negatively affect your health.

When looking for a humidifier for sleeping, look for a unit that is equipped with impurity-removing features such as filters.

The filters get hold of impurities such as dirt, dust, and pollen and prevent them from being released alongside the mist.

You can see that these are serious indoor allergens. If inhaled, they can provoke asthma or other respiratory illnesses.

Some models also come with anti-microbial filters that hinder bacteria, fungus, and mold from developing in your unit.

Most warm-mist humidifiers are fitted with demineralization cartridges that function as filters. These cartridges remove mineral deposits and lime scale from the humidifiers, preventing them from being released into the air.

3. Humidifier Noise

Every humidifier produces some sort of noise while running. However, some models tend to be noisier than others.

The best humidifier for sleeping should produce such minimal noise that it doesn’t annoy you or interrupt your sleep.

Ultrasonic humidifier models are the quietest options, while the evaporative ones seem to be the loudest. The size of the humidifier also determines the amount of noise it will produce.

Generally, larger units tend to produce more noise when compared to their smaller counterparts.

However, if your unit operates loudly, you can minimize the noise level by placing the humidifier on a ceramic or non-wooden surface.

If the noise is too loud to the point of bothering you, consider having it checked. Something might just be wrong.

4. Humidifier Reservoir Capacity

Different humidifiers come with different tank capacities. Your preferred reservoir size will mostly be determined by how long you want your unit to run before refilling.

If you want your humidifier to run longer between refills, you should go for a unit with a larger capacity.

Some models come with dual reservoirs, which is good if you want a unit that runs for longer periods.

The thing is this: if you have a large bedroom, buy a humidifier for large room. And vice versa. Big humidifier units have bigger reservoirs.

Small humidifiers, such as travel humidifiers, usually have small reservoirs that can perhaps run for a few hours.

5. Humidistat

A humidifier that comes with a humidistat is a better option. A humidistat measures the humidity level in your room and automatically shuts off the humidifier once your preferred humidity level is achieved.

This feature prevents your unit from over-humidifying your room, causing condensation. Too much moisture in the air has negative effects on your interior. Your house can become a good breeding ground for mold and mildew.

6. A timer

A timer is another key feature for sleeping with a humidifier every night. It saves you the stress of waking up in the middle of your sleep to switch off your humidifier.

A timer allows you to set your unit to run for a preferred duration. When the preferred length of time is achieved, a timer shuts off the humidifier automatically.

Image of humidifier timer

This is a very important feature, especially when you like to increase the moisture for some time, then switch off the bedroom humidifier so that the released moisture can sustain you until morning.

7. Humidifier safety measures

As much as humidifiers can improve the quality of life in your home, they also hold stagnant water. This makes them a good breeding ground for bacteria and mold, which, if inhaled together with the mist, can affect your health.

Therefore, humidifiers need to be cleaned regularly and the water changed daily to prevent the buildup of germs and bacteria.

When cleaning your unit, always ensure that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions and specifications.

Apart from thoroughly cleaning your humidifier and changing water regularly, look for a model that comes with several safety features. Many modern models are equipped with germicidal protection features.

Among such protection features are:

  • Ultrasonic vibrations, which destroy any germs once the water is shaken
  • Carbon filters that get rid of impurities in the water
  • The heating mechanism boils the water first before being released as a mist
  • A UV light bulb that kills all the microbes

8. Humidifier for sleeping size

The size in this case is in relation to two things: the size of your bedroom and the size of the humidifier itself.

This is because humidifiers are designed to cover a specific area. The smaller the humidifier, the smaller the area covered, and vice versa.

First, you need to ensure that your bedroom has enough space to place your humidifier. Secondly, look for a medium-sized unit that will appropriately humidify your room without under- or over-humidifying it.

In addition, ensure your unit’s size will allow you to refill the tank easily under your faucet. Look at the reservoir gallons measurement. For big rooms, the more, the better.

9. Versatility in use

A more versatile humidifier for sleeping is better suited for your bedroom. For example, a unit that functions as both a humidifier and a diffuser is a good choice.

Such a humidifier is designed to diffuse aromas and essential oils together with moisture. The scents of these oils usually have a calming effect, which may help you sleep better.

10. Aesthetics

Humidifiers come in all manner of designs and styles. When choosing your unit, go for the one whose design blends in with your bedroom’s décor.

Your humidifier does not have to be the odd one out in a beautifully furnished room. Go for a model whose aesthetics enhance the beauty of your interior design.

11. Ease of use and maintenance

When buying any kind of appliance, it is better to settle for one that is simple to operate and maintain. This should also be the case with humidifiers.

When choosing your unit, go for one with controls that are user-friendly, easy to read, and easily visible.

In addition, choose a unit that is easy to maintain. Generally, humidifiers are low-maintenance appliances. All you need to do is keep your unit clean at all times. Choose a humidifier that is easy to clean.

If you need to disassemble and assemble some parts when cleaning, ensure it is easy to do that. Cleaning a humidifier should never feel like a course in rocket science.

12. Humidifier Cost

Humidifiers differ in price depending on different things, such as the type, size, features, and so on. For example, tabletop humidifiers are cheaper as compared to whole-house humidifiers because of their small size.

Depending on your budget, buy a unit that meets your humidification needs. If you want an extravagant unit, be ready to dig deeper into your pockets. Do not sacrifice a good humidifier for sleeping just because of the price.

You can buy a humidifier on Amazon.com, where there are better prices and more variety. In addition, you can look at user reviews left by other buyers. That way, you will know that what you are buying is good for you.

13. Humidifier warranty

You should buy your humidifier from a reputable brand. The best company should offer you at least a 12-month warranty for your humidifier.

This gives you the confidence that if anything goes wrong with your unit, they can easily have it sorted out.

In addition, settle for a brand that has a reliable customer service department. A focused and positive customer care team will always work towards meeting their customers’ needs.

You may need help if this is your first humidifier to buy and use.

Wrapping Up

As you have seen here, there is more to sleeping with a humidifier every night than just buying a good unit.

If you live in a place with dry air, such as Utah or Las Vegas, you will want to sleep with a humidifier overnight. There is no harm at all.