Is Dry Air Bad For Your Lungs???

Question

I always dread winter because wintertime means dry air which always leaves me with a nagging dry cough and I'm always clearing my throat.

As soon as winter is gone, my cough goes away.

Is this normal????

Answer 1

Sure. We are creatures made of mostly water - all our systems like to be wet and slippery to work best (that's why water and essentiall fatty acids are so important in our diets). You know how your mouth dries out and films up if you sleep with your mouth open? Well the same sort of thing happens in your lungs and throat with dry air - they dry out a bit and get kind of stiff and uncomfortable.

The best way to fix it is to add moisture to your environment. Some people swear by humidifiers (you can get them for a room or to be fit onto central air), but you can get relief from just putting a pan of water very near your heating vents.

Be sure to put a big towel underneath the pan if there is any chance that it will get stepped on or knocked over - don't want to damage your floor. You will also have to fill it up every day in a very dry environment.

Peace!

Answer 2

it is absolutely normal. cold air is drier than warm air and in the winter, you dry the air in your home out from having the heat on. when you sleep at night, you tend to take deeper breaths, which dries you out even more. try getting a humidifier. if you're strapped for cash, get a smaller one for your bedroom and run it at night. if you can afford a bigger one, go for it. if you can at least get some moisture back into the air at home, it'll help. if you recall high school biology, your upper respiratory system is coated with that mucous membrane that's supposed to be a barrier against air-borne germs and irritants. if that dries out too much, it's not an effective barrier, and germs and allergens have an easier time getting at you. this is a contributing factor to why people get colds and stuff more often in the winter, along with being shut up indoors with everyone else's germs. also try cough drops or hard candy. they get the saliva going, and help keep your throat lubricated, but if you go with cough drops, watch your intake; you don't want to be eating the medicated ones like they're candy.