The doctor warned about the risks of weakened immunity from heaters

If you turn on the heater, the room will become warmer, but at the same time drier. This can lead to over-drying of the mucous membranes and skin, which means it can reduce immunity and worsen the course of certain diseases. On October 6, Alexandra Fileva, an expert at the Hemotest Laboratory, told Izvestia in which cases it is more useful to wear a sweater than to turn on the battery more strongly.

She noted that the skin and mucous membranes perform an important barrier function. They protect the body not only from the effects of external factors, but also from the penetration of harmful substances, microbes and allergens. The protective barrier consists of several components: the stratum corneum of the skin with its dense cells and the lipid (fat) layer, which prevent moisture loss and the penetration of harmful pathogens, as well as the mucous membranes that secrete secretions (mucus).

"The secret secreted by the mucous membranes contains class A immunoglobulins, which are immune cells that are considered the body's first line of defense — they protect against viruses, bacteria, and parasites at first contact, that is, even before the pathogen has penetrated deeper into the tissues," explains the specialist.

Excessive dryness of the skin and mucous membranes negatively affects their protective function. The skin loses its natural lipid barrier, and the production and quality of secretions from the mucous membranes decrease. They become more vulnerable to infections and irritants, such as allergens.

"Dryness of the skin and mucous membranes leads to the appearance of microcracks, disruption of the barrier integrity. The risk of inflammatory processes and allergic reactions increases," the doctor warns.

Fileva drew attention to the fact that dry air is especially harmful to people suffering from chronic respiratory diseases and allergies. For example, with atopic dermatitis or allergic rhinitis, dry air can worsen inflammatory processes on the skin and mucous membranes. This leads to more pronounced symptoms and makes the treatment process more difficult. Patients with asthma, chronic bronchitis, and sinusitis also suffer from it. Overdrying of the mucous membranes threatens them with increased seizures and difficulty breathing. Dry air is unhealthy for people with weakened immune systems, the elderly, and children.

"Insufficient air humidity has a negative effect even on the body of a healthy person. In particular, this is manifested in the deterioration of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and skin. As a result, local immune defenses decrease, which increases the likelihood of developing respiratory diseases such as acute respiratory viral infections, influenza, and coronavirus infection. In a room with low humidity, some people experience a feeling of dryness and itching in their nose, and the quality of sleep may deteriorate," the expert recalls.

According to her, in order to reduce the harmful effects of heaters on the indoor climate, the temperature should be adjusted according to the actual need: you do not need to freeze, but you should not just turn on the battery hotter. To maintain a normal humidity level, it is better to carry out wet cleaning more often, use an air humidifier, and place water containers near the batteries so that it evaporates and raises the overall humidity in the room.

On September 30, Ekaterina Dmitrenko, a doctor, told us how to improve the quality of sleep. According to her, most adults need to sleep 7-9 hours per night (about 7.5 hours on average). This is not a whim, but a natural physiological need of the body. Lack of sleep is associated with increased mortality, metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, weight gain, decreased cognitive function and immunity.

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