Searches for “air humidifier ” have grown in the last 30 days on the internet, according to a survey carried out by CNN on Google Trends. The increase in interest in the device comes amid a period of dry weather that is affecting several regions of Brazil. At the beginning of September, six states and the Federal District were in “great danger” due to low relative humidity, according to the National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet).
According to an analysis, the highest peak in searches for the term “air humidifier” occurred on September 4th of this year. The day before, municipalities in at least four states recorded 7% relative humidity, a dry climate comparable to the average humidity of deserts such as the Sahara, on the African continent, according to an article published in CNN Brazil .
The peak in searches occurred after a period of low searches, between August 27 and September 1, a period in which a cold front hit some states in the South and Southeast of the country. See the following graph:
Among the sub-regions with the greatest interest in the term “air humidifier” in the period analyzed are Minas Gerais, Distrito Federal, Rondônia, Goiás and Mato Grosso. Next came Acre, Mato Grosso do Sul, São Paulo, Tocantins and Paraná. The capital of São Paulo even had the worst air quality among the world’s metropolises, according to the Swiss website IQAir. The classification between “bad” and “very bad” occurs amid yet another heat wave, dry weather and smoke from fires.
Health risks of dry weather
Dry weather can dry out the mucous membranes of the nose, throat and lungs, causing symptoms such as difficulty breathing and coughing, as well as increasing asthma and bronchitis attacks, according to Tatiana Buainain, a general practitioner at Hospital Santa Paula. In addition, allergic rhinitis tends to become more severe when the air is humid, causing frequent itching in the nose and/or eyes, frequent sneezing, runny nose and nasal obstruction. In some cases, it can lead to spontaneous nosebleeds due to the greater fragility of the inner walls of the nose.
In addition to respiratory symptoms, low humidity can leave lips and skin dry, eyes irritated and cause headaches.
THE CNN also researched the search trends related to the term “dry weather” on Google Trends. The survey shows that related searches include “burns”, “dry weather and cough”, “dry cough” and “dry weather causes headache”.
Using humidifiers is one of the ways experts recommend to improve indoor air quality, especially at night. In addition to the device, other measures are important to maintain air humidity at home, such as placing bowls of water indoors, using damp towels hung in strategic places, avoiding excessive use of air conditioning and ventilating the house at appropriate times.
It is also important to take some precautions to avoid the negative effects of dry weather on the body, such as:
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day;
- Avoid exposure to irritants such as cigarette smoke;
- Avoid physical activities during times of high pollutant concentrations (between 12pm and 4pm);
- Moisturize your skin with creams.
This content was originally published in With dry weather, searches for air humidifiers grow in Brazil on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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