How Humidity Makes it Harder to Breathe

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Not many people like a hot and sticky day. Humid air does more than turn the smoothest hair into a lion’s mane of frizz and leave the skin so damp it is impossible to squeeze into skinny jeans for the slimmest of bodies.. Humidity can also make it quite difficult to breathe. Airly.org monitors air quality with community air quality sensors. Numerous factors impact the air quality, such as pollution and localised weather. These need to be considered together so people are exposed to less harmful air and can protect their health. 

Asthma

Asthma narrows the airways. Warm, humid air can also narrows the airways. If you have asthma, unfortunately you may experience breathing constrictions in humid conditions, which could potentially trigger an asthma attack. Asthma attacks can be fatal and should always be treated carefully and with professional medical advice. If you don’t have asthma, you may still find it difficult to breathe due to the narrowing of airways. 

COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (known as COPD) is another health problem that can be triggered by humidity. A COPD flare-up can be fatal like an asthma attack. In damp conditions, the body has to work intensely to breathe. If you already have COPD, your body is already working pretty hard for air. 

Dense Air

Humid air is very dense. It has a high water content. The humidity may have already narrowed the airways and therefore the body is trying to take in larger air molecules into a smaller space. As the water content goes up, the oxygen levels are reduced.  

Humidity Traps Pollutants and Allergens

No-one should be breathing in polluted air. At best, it irritates the eyes and slows brain function. At worst, it can cause an early death. The humidity traps the air pollution particles. On a particularly humid day, this can lead to very high concentrations of air pollution. However, an afternoon thunderstorm can disperse the humidity and with it, the air pollution. Positively, humidity breakdowns smog which can relieve those living in highly smog affected areas such as large cities and towns.

It isn’t just manmade pollutants that get caught in the dense air. Naturally occurring dust and pollen get trapped in humid air too. These allergens can trigger an immune response, resulting in sneezing, itchy and running eyes and a running nose, making it harder to breathe overall. 

Mould

At over 60 per cent humidity, mould starts to grow. People sensitive to mould may find themselves experiencing an allergic reaction on top of already constricted airways. 

Hot Weather

Winter doesn’t make the humidity go away however, it is more associated with summertime heat. Warm air rises, taking pollution with it, but this is harder for dense, moist air. The air becomes stagnant, so despite more surface-level pollution in winter, it is still harder to breathe in summer. 

Monitoring the weather is just as important as checking air pollution levels. Humidity has a direct impact on the body’s airways, making it more difficult to breathe. It also traps air pollution and allergens. All factors need to be considered if you suffer with breathing difficulties.