Why you must have an air purifier in your bedroom!

It’s that time of the year when every news channel airs alarming stories about rising levels of air pollution in major cities. I have watched these stories year after year. However, for the first time, I realized that the air inside my home itself wasn’t really safe for me and my child! I have had bouts of wheezing throughout nights, waking up poorly rested and worrying constantly about my daughter (Mirra, 2.5-years-old today) who is breathing these harmful pollutants every day and night. When my mom, who lives in another city, where pollution levels have reached sky-rocketing numbers, suggested an air purifier, I decided to give it a go. 

What Does An Air Purifier Do?

An air purifier uses various filters to remove pollutants and contaminants from the air and improves the air quality indoors. A HEPA filter air purifier has a fan that will pull the air through HEPA filters, which removes particulate matter. Here are some sources of indoor air pollution: 

1. Dust: Dust sitting on the coffee tables and bookshelves contribute to the poor air quality.
2. Tobacco smoke: We’ve had frequent visitors who smoke, and the smell lingers on for hours and even days after. Passive smoke has considerably lowered the air quality at our home. 
3. Cooking smells: While the smell of onions frying is immensely satisfying, it is hard to get rid of it soon enough. 
4. Pet hair: Our golden retriever has no qualms about making every surface in the house his personal hair salon. 

Why Is An Air Purifier Important For Your Home?

When I realized how these little things grossly affected the air quality inside my bedroom, it was time to buy an air purifier. Once I started using it regularly, here are some benefits I observed over a few weeks:

Fewer colds: Thanks to the air purifier, the air was much cleaner; my allergic colds seemed to have reduced noticeably. My daughter slept better. We have a lot of pollen that comes in, resulting in my having a runny nose 9 days out of 10. Also, Mirra would often fall prey to coughing and sore throat. So, it was a huge relief when that number went down considerably! Also, harmful viruses that cause flu and other illnesses keep circulating in the house when someone falls sick. Filters designed specifically to tackle these can help control illnesses from spreading.  

No lingering smells: We’ve told our guests to smoke outside, but despite that, we haven’t been able to cut out tobacco smell completely. But our air purifier has noticeably cut down the odour of cigarette smoke from the house. Additionally, cooking smells are eliminated quite effectively, without turning into pungent, foul whiffs. 

How To Choose An Air Purifier?

Consider these things before you buy an air purifier:

1. Purpose: Different types of filters work effectively against different contaminants. So, figure out your main culprit (is it dust, or pet hair, or something else?) before you choose the air purifier. A HEPA air purifier is quite effective if your child has breathing problems or asthma. 
2. Size: Depending on the size of the bedroom where you will use the air purifier, choose an air purifier with the appropriate coverage. Choose one with a little more coverage, so that it will work well even on the lower settings, which means reduced energy consumption and noise.  
3. Features: Consider what features are important – lower noise output, indicators that show how clean the air is, how easy it is to get replacement filters, and so on.  

Using an air purifier at home is one of the best decisions I’ve made for my child. This has only meant fewer illnesses and happier times! 

Disclaimer: A message sponsored by Philips to help you breathe easy. Opinions expressed above are independent opinions of the author.