Well, fall in NYC is never without its quirks: Rainy, hot, cold, rainy again.
Feeling a little sick this week? Me too.
Frustrated? ME TOO.
Maybe you got chilly and turned on your heat.
Maybe your landlord got chilly and turned on the heat.
Maybe no one turned on anything, but you still feel sick.
Before you whip out that odious down jacket from the top of your closet, let’s discuss our immune systems. My throat is dry, my ears and nose are itchy, I keep sneezing and coughing, and I woke up every morning last week with NO speaking voice. As the world’s most impatient sick person, I searched for every method under the sun to get me back to tip-top shape.
A week later, I'm feeling back to normal and very grateful for my found wellness tips.
If you’re feeling sick and irritated like me, readers, never fear.
I got you.
**starts coughing**
THE WHY
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty, and by nitty gritty, I mean MUCUS. According to Dr. Anuja Vyas, a board-certified pulmonary disease doctor, your body is having a seasonal overload meltdown.
“When you turn on your heater for the first time, dust, pollen and other indoor allergens may cause sinus congestion.”
Basically, your heater or radiator has been sitting dormant and unloved for the spring and summer months. Imagine shaking out a dusty curtain from your grandparent’s attic. After months or years of sitting stagnant, the curtain would collect lots of particles: dust, pet dander, and a slew of other very-annoying allergens. Your heating unit, unfortunately, is no different.
As I learned (the hard way), turning on your heater for the first time is basically blasting your nasal passages with all the collected dust and allergens from the spring and summer months. This can lead to sinus overload, causing headaches, nosebleeds, stuffy/itchy ears and throat, and trouble falling and staying asleep.
Hooray.
But there’s more: Heaters suck the humidity out of the space it occupies, so if you are prone to respiratory conditions, including asthma, this is NOT great news for you. Let’s add in the fact that, without proper ventilation, your heater is circulating old/stale air around your space. So, all those allergens I mentioned earlier are basically getting swished around and sucked back into your nostrils. Fun.
But, not to fear! There are few easy (non-expensive) methods you can use to ventilate and moisturize your space, leaving you feeling clear headed and allergen-free.
Learn from my mistakes, readers. LEARN.
**dry cough**
9 WAYS TO FEEL BETTER
WHEN YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
BETRAYS YOU
1. Humidifier
Yes, I’ve mentioned this before. Yes, I currently have two humidifiers blowing full blast in my bedroom. YES I LOVE IT.
Benefits:
Puts moisture back into the air
Soothes irritation in your ears/nose/throat
Faster healing from colds by moistening and relaxing your nasal passages
Keeps skin moisturized
Reduces snoring
Relieves sinus congestion
Sounds good to me. (Just make sure you wash your humidifier every three days, to prevent the spread of bacteria.)
I’m in love with my Asakuki humidifier. It has a glowy light, timed mist options, and a remote control. Get it on Amazon for $26.99. If you’re hypersensitive to dry air (like me…), you might need a more heavy duty option for moisturizing your bedroom. I just ordered this Geniani 4 Liter Humidifier for $60. It's amazing.
Fingers crossed my humidifiers can merge their powers to get me out of this dry cough cold. PLEASE.
2. Indoor Plants
Yes, I also brought up the amazing benefits of house plants in 7 Ways to Eco-Rev Your Space, but here we go again. The excess water vapor from plants instantly humidifies your space, which is pretty sweet.
Benefits:
Reduce air pollutants (dust, dander, mold...yikes)
Reduce carbon dioxide
Reduce dust in the air
Maintain home humidity levels
Indoor plants are serious gems. They provide a fresh environment while also purifying the air. Keep some indoor plants in your bedroom/sleep area to breathe in all those botanical benefits while you snooze.
3. Leave The Bathroom Door Open
Okay, ha-ha. I don’t mean all the time.
After a hot shower, don’t hit the vent, turn the doorknob! Leaving the bathroom door open (especially after a steamy shower) releases moisture back into your living space. Depending on your home’s blueprint, this moisture could extend to your bedroom and beyond. Give it a try and see if you notice a difference!
4. Place A Bowl of Water on Your Radiator
This is a very old school approach, but trust me, this totally works. Place a large bowl of water near or on top of your heat source. This could be your heating pipe, vent, or radiator. Placing the water directly on the heat source increases the rate of evaporation, which instantly cools and humidifies your space.
5. Facial Steamer
Not only are facial steamers all the rage right now on TikTok, they are also an incredible way to humidify your space AND alleviate symptoms of allergies or a cold.
Benefits:
Relieves sinus congestion and symptoms of head colds
Moisturizes skin
Promotes circulation
Promotes collagen and elastin
As a good rules of thumb, facial steam once a week for optimal results. For safety purposes, maintain a 12-18 inch distance from the steamer or heat source. No one likes scalded skin, readers.
I’m seriously in love with my NanoSteamer ($40 on Amazon).
Don’t want to splurge on a steamer? No biggie, just boil a large pot of water. Once bubbly, turn off the heat and grab a towel. Place the towel behind your head and lean forward, steaming your face in the fumes. Maintain a safe distance for 5-10 minutes and you’re good to go!
6. Drink Some Herbal Tea
Tea time, anyone? Not only will a piping cup of tea provide steam, which we know helps reduce nasal congestion, but herbal tea has its own set of benefits.
Herbal Teas & Benefits:
Echinacea: Stimulates immune activity, shortening bacterial infection time
Green: High antioxidant content, which supports your immune system and metabolism
Lemon: High in Vitamin C
Added Bonus: Adding a spoonful of honey to your tea can help to soothe irritation and suppress that embarrassing cough you’ve been hiding.
7. Swap Out Your Blinds
Yes, okay, we all know how I feel about curtains. Dust magnets. Am I a bit of a germaphobe? Yes, but there is still some validity to this pet peeve. Dust clings to fabric particles, so when you leave your curtains unwashed for months, that’s a LOT of dust buildup. When rattled, the allergens fly off the curtain and into the air of your living space, further aggravating your allergies and making it harder to breathe and sleep comfortably.
To remedy this little hiccup (or cough), try swapping out your dusty old curtains for paper blinds, cordless bamboo blinds, or these machine-washable hypoallergenic curtains.
8. Hypoallergenic Pillow Cover
This is a new one for me, but I’m coming around. I’m all about my satin pillow cases - they stay cool in the middle of the night, and keep my hair protected and shiny. But, let’s be honest - I don’t always wash my pillow cases as often as I should. Since our pillowcase has the most direct contact with our faces (ahem, droolers), it should get washed PRETTY regularly.
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America recommends washing your sheets once a week, which is already much more frequent than most of us would like to admit. But wait, there’s more: For pillowcases, the recommendation is ONCE EVERY 2-3 DAYS.
(If you’re suddenly feeling an enormous surge of germ anxiety, I’m with you.)
Never fear, this is what hypoallergenic pillow covers are for.
Benefits:
If you’re one of those folks who are highly sensitive to dust mites, your pillow might be contributing to your morning sinus congestion.
Limited microbial exposure (so you won’t have to change your pillow case as often!)
Produce less friction on your face, which can reduce the rate of skin deterioration
Keeps the pillow cool while you sleep!
Conclusion: Get a pillow case cover, or at least change your pillowcase.
9. Aromatherapy
In spite of having a stupid cold, aromatherapy is rocking my freakin’ socks this week. I’m big on Eucalyptus and Lavender, but I don’t have a fancy oil diffuser. But, thanks to the internet, I’ve learned that BOTH my humidifier and facial steamer can be used for aromatherapy! I put a few drops, turn the mist on HIGH, and I am almost instantly lulled to lavender dreams.
Benefits:
Reduces anxiety
Improves sleep quality
Strengthens immune system
Reduces physical pain
Recommended Essential Oils:
Lavender: Improves mood, reduces stress
Tea Tree: Boosts hair growth
Eucalyptus: Anti-inflammatory (ahem, sore throats)
Rose Oil: Balance hormone levels
Oregano: Antiviral & antibacterial properties
Whether you go with an aromatherapy diffuser ($41.99 on Amazon), a large aromatherapy humidifier ($59.97 on Amazon), or just steam in the shower with some fresh Eucalyptus leaves, your nasal passages (and the rest of you) will thank you. Trust me.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If this is a sick week for you, I feel you 100 percent. Feeling under the weather truly sucks. But, doesn’t it feel good to use healthy, natural and completely homeopathic remedies? Hmm?
Okay, I’d love to stay and chat, but I need to go crank my humidifiers and water my plants.
Be well, get tested, and get some house plants!
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