The Purpose of Sleeping With a Vaporizer

Preventing Pneumonia

• Pneumonia is caused when bacteria, viruses or other irritants cause inflammation in the lungs. Sleeping with a vaporizer is recommended as a proactive measure for people at risk of pneumonia, including people with HIV or those undergoing chemotherapy treatments, or people who are elderly. A vaporizer, as well as taking warm showers, can help thin out secretions in the lungs. Pneumonia can be a serious illness, so other precautions must be taken in addition to sleeping with cleaner air.

Treating Croup

• Croup is a viral infection that affects young children. The condition causes swelling of the vocal cords, resulting in a barking cough. If your infant or child has come down with croup, you may want to purchase a vaporizer. A vaporizer uses warm air, so your child should not breathe directly from it; however, it is safe and very effective to leave the vaporizer on throughout the night in your child's room.

Cough and Chest Congestion

• According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the best way to treat a cough is to treat its cause. Sometimes, though, the cause is unknown; instead, you can take measures to relieve the cough itself. Sleeping with a vaporizer can relieve an irritated throat as well as loosen mucus. Coughing up mucus, although it doesn't sound so pretty, is an important step in the recovery from a cough.

Reduce Biological Irritants

• The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests the use of clean-mist humidifiers and vaporizers to reduce indoor levels of biological irritants such as fungi and pollen. However, the organization also warns that poorly maintained vaporizer units can also cause irritation; be sure to clean and replace the water in your vaporizer according to the manufacturer's recommendations.