In addition, humid air is better for your sinuses than dry air: aside from bloody noses, by “raising indoor relative humidity levels to 43 percent or above”, you can avoid 86 percent of aforementioned virus particles [skymetweather.com.] The verdict is in: humid air is better than dry for your health!
Sweat on the skin does not evaporate efficiently on humid days, so more of the heat remains trapped within your body. Thus, humid heat is more dangerous than dry heat. Heat sickness comes in the form of heat stress and heatstroke. Heatstroke can be fatal if immediate steps are not taken to cool the person off.
Benefits of a Dry Environment
In addition to overall better health, Vitamin D can reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. Warmer weather in dry environments also prevents many of the health problems of cold winters. Hyperthermia becomes a bigger danger as people age and are less sensitive to cold.
Health Risks of High Humidity
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.
High humidity prevents sweat from evaporating as readily, making humid heat more dangerous than dry heat. Without the opportunity to cool off, people can suffer from elevated heart rate, high blood pressure and even organ failure and death.
Adding humidity to the air may be beneficial, but too much humidity can cause health issues. High humidity levels can worsen respiratory problems and create uncomfortable dampness in the air. This can encourage the growth of: dust mites.
Exposure to extreme temperatures and/or extreme humidity levels increases the risk of mortality mostly through impacts on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
Therefore, moist air contains fewer oxygen molecules per unit volume than dry air, and we literally don't get as much oxygen when we inhale moist air. This can cause breathing problems for people with certain respiratory diseases.
Scientifically speaking, humidity causes hair problems like frizz and flatness because it creates weak hydrogen bonds between the humidity and our hair strands—and this messes with our hair! The more porous our hair strands, the more moisture they absorb, which results in rough, lifted hair cuticles.
How much heat can the human body endear? According to scientists, the body works best within a narrow range of body temperature - 36C to 37.5C.
The research found that even a drop in humidity of just 30 per cent can lead to the formation of fine wrinkles in as little as 30 minutes. Furthermore, low humidity can cause decreased skin elasticity, increased skin roughness and may worsen some skin disorders.
Cold and Dry
Cold air is often dry air, and for many, especially those with chronic lung disease, that can spell trouble. Dry air can irritate the airways of people with lung diseases. This can lead to wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath.
Warm air can possess more water vapor (moisture) than cold air, so with the same amount of absolute/specific humidity, air will have a HIGHER relative humidity if the air is cooler, and a LOWER relative humidity if the air is warmer.
The highest dewpoint recorded on Earth is in the city of Dhahran in Saudi Arabia, which experienced a dewpoint of 95°F (35°C) in 2003 – however, dewpoints above 90°F (32°C) are rare, and only occur in these regions during the summer months.
Humid air feels thick and dense. It makes your body work harder to breathe. You may need more oxygen, and you may feel tired and short of breath.
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.
Anti-Aging Effects
The effects of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles, are more noticeable if your skin lacks moisture and feels dry. So, if you're concerned about the premature signs of aging, humidity can provide your skin with the moisture it needs to appear more supple and youthful.
The bottom line. Dry air has the ability to worsen a wide range of health issues, from respiratory conditions and skin problems to nosebleeds, dry eyes, sore throats, and more. To maintain a healthy environment, the EPA recommends that you keep indoor humidity in the range of 30 to 50 percent.
Experts generally agree that the ideal indoor humidity levels for comfort and for avoiding health effects are between 35 and 60 percent. When you're spending time in a home or workplace with humidity levels in excess of 60 percent, it's increasingly likely that you will experience certain health issues.
Researchers have determined the ideal environmental conditions for COPD patients include an air temperature of 70 degrees and a humidity level of 40%. This combination can help airways stay relaxed, which minimizes the risk of symptoms.
Many report that humidity, along with other factors such as temperature and weather changes and weather patterns, increase joint pain or trigger arthritis flares. For some, humidity and weather's effect on their joints is so bothersome that they seek relief by moving to drier, temperate climates.
Even if you're an elite athlete in perfect health, your heart works harder and is more vulnerable on hot, humid days. For people with a history of heart problems, the risk is much greater.
The city of Perth has the best weather/climate in Australia. The city enjoys a temperate Mediterranean climate with hot and dry summers and mild but wet winters. Perth is also the sunniest capital city in Australia and is considered one of the hottest experiencing over 250+ days of sunny blue skies.
Okinawa, Japan
According to Blue Zones, the people living in Okinawa are fortunate enough to have extremely low rates of cancer, heart disease, and dementia compared to Americans. Their longevity can also be attributed to strong social ties, as well as a deep sense of purpose.