You may not know it, but your body requires more water in the winter – especially if you have your heating system on quite often.
For those particularly worried about getting dehydrated, scientist Karen James has posted a helpful Twitter thread for those in need of advice.
While it may be raining or snowing outside, our homes – warmed by our radiators or wood-burning stoves – will have very low humidity that might almost resemble a “small desert”.
For those not accustomed to long cold spells…
Take special care to keep yourselves, children, & pets hydrated.
Lemme tell u why & how. 1/
— Karen James (@kejames) December 30, 2017
to, say, 68°F, the humidity drops to 7%. For reference, the driest place on earth, the Atacama desert, has a mean humidity of around 17%. 3/
— Karen James (@kejames) December 31, 2017
But as James points out, there are ways to increase humidity in your house without spending your hard-earned money on a humidifier.
you can increase the humidity in your house without investing in a humidifier by:• opening the bathroom door when you shower• air-drying your laundry, in your bedroom if possible• venting your dryer into your house instead of outside5/
— Karen James (@kejames) December 31, 2017
Once more, here at the end of the thread, if you have a gas dryer, DO NOT vent it into your house. Gas dryers vent carbon monoxide. ☠️
— Karen James (@kejames) December 31, 2017
Her advice, besides drinking plenty of water and regular moisturising, includes opening the bathroom door when showering, air-drying laundry venting the dryer into your house instead of outside (unless you have a gas dryer) and opening the dishwasher door when it is done to let the steam out.
And it appears, these are just the life hacks we need right now.
Interesting science and usable insights in this thread. In the winter, “our houses are basically small deserts” https://t.co/41ybe7ORLK
— Christopher Mims ? (@mims) December 31, 2017
this is literally the most useful thread I’ve ever seen on twitter. I’d been extremely dehydrated today & couldn’t figure out why! now giving my dog copious ice cubes https://t.co/4FO5QZuxvR
— sara mayeux (@saramayeux) December 31, 2017
Couldn’t say this better myself! Please Retweet This Most Useful Information… Adequate hydration is an important factor all year round, no matter the weather! TOP THREAD!!! ????
— Linda (@wordfinga) December 31, 2017
