Ray Peat Email Advice Depository Discussion/Comment Thread

[Giraffe]

Me: Do you have a recommendation about the ideal room temperature for sleeping? In where I live, outside temperatures are starting to increase so we have to use AC to keep the room cool. Does sleeping under the AC affect human biology in a negative manner? I feel it dries the air and I wake up with a stuffed nose especially if the cooled air is hitting my face.

Ray: Have you checked the relative humidity in the cool room? Usually a cool room with comfortable covers allows the body to regulate its temperature.

Me: How can I check the relative humidity? In that note, would you recommend a humidifier to increase the humidity of the cool room?

Ray: Weather reports usually give the relative humidity; when that air is cooled, the relative humidity increases considerably. It can be calculated from the decrease in temperature, but a little device, usually combined with a thermometer, is convenient.

Me: In my city right now, the temperature is 106 F and relative humidity is 7%. We’re 50 km from the sea. Everyday I open my window for half an hour to let new air comes in. So I would guess the room humidity is more than 7% due to a lower temperature inside (even with the AC off) and the water steam coming from the bathroom and kitchen. I will probably get the device to be sure of the numbers. When I sleep I usually put the AC on 75 F. There is a “dry” mode in the AC remote controller. That mode is supposed to reduce humidity while keeping the room cool.

What is the ideal relative humidity inside houses if we’re planning to cool the air in the day and during sleep? Do you think getting a dehumidifier is a good idea?

Ray: In a 75 F room, relative humidity between 35 and 60 is o.k.; bathroom, kitchen, and people add to the humidity, but with the outside relative humidity of only 7%, a humidifier might help.

Me: Unfortunately, most of the year, the humidity is quite high, especially at night. So if humidity goes higher than 60%, do you think a dehumidifier would help or does it affect health negatively? If someone has respiratory problems like asthma, would sleeping in a less humid room help him?

Ray: High humidity itself tends to soften mucus and can improve asthma symptoms, but the humidity favors the growth of microorganisms and can increase allergens in the air.

Relative humidity is the ratio of how much water vapor is in the air and how much water vapor the air could potentially contain at a given temperature. Colder air can hold less vapor. In other words: if the (absolute) amount of water vapor remains constant, the relative humidity is higher at the lower temperature. If relative humidity outside is 60% and you cool the room without reducing (absolute) humidity you risk that the water condensates.

You can check it below. Start with your outside temperature and look up the 60% curve. From there go to the left to find your room temperature.

(Picture taken from here.)

 

[milk_lover]

Relative humidity is the ratio of how much water vapor is in the air and how much water vapor the air could potentially contain at a given temperature. Colder air can hold less vapor. In other words: if the (absolute) amount of water vapor remains constant, the relative humidity is higher at the lower temperature. If relative humidity outside is 60% and you cool the room without reducing (absolute) humidity you risk that the water condensates.

You can check it below. Start with your outside temperature and look up the 60% curve. From there go to the left to find your room temperature.

View attachment 35829

(Picture taken from here.)

What is the left y axis? The absolute water vapor in the air?

 

[Giraffe]

What is the left y axis? The absolute water vapor in the air?

Yes.

 

[milk_lover]

Yes.

Thanks Giraffe for the info. I bought a relative humidity meter as Peat suggested and I try to keep my room between 40% and 60% using a humidifier. Much easier to see the room number directly without estimating from the outside relative humidity. When I first bought the meter, my room was reading 25%! Crazy dry weather spell in my city. That explained my dry lips upon waking up and stuffy nose. Between 40 and 60%, I wake up refreshed without stuffy nose while the room is cool and comfy. Dr. Peat is very knowledgable.

 

[Giraffe]

Thanks Giraffe for the info. I bought a relative humidity meter as Peat suggested and I try to keep my room between 40% and 60% using a humidifier. Much easier to see the room number directly without estimating from the outside relative humidity. When I first bought the meter, my room was reading 25%! Crazy dry weather spell in my city. That explained my dry lips upon waking up and stuffy nose. Between 40 and 60%, I wake up refreshed without stuffy nose while the room is cool and comfy. Dr. Peat is very knowledgable.

Glad you are feeling refreshed now when you wake up.

 

[Blossom]

Thanks Giraffe for the info. I bought a relative humidity meter as Peat suggested and I try to keep my room between 40% and 60% using a humidifier. Much easier to see the room number directly without estimating from the outside relative humidity. When I first bought the meter, my room was reading 25%! Crazy dry weather spell in my city. That explained my dry lips upon waking up and stuffy nose. Between 40 and 60%, I wake up refreshed without stuffy nose while the room is cool and comfy. Dr. Peat is very knowledgable.

I should probably buy one myself. I’ve been using a dehumidifier for a couple years because of mold but I might be keeping things too dry! Thanks @milk_lover!

 

[milk_lover]

I should probably buy one myself. I’ve been using a dehumidifier for a couple years because of mold but I might be keeping things too dry! Thanks @milk_lover!

I hope it would be a good investment for you and your family Blossom. Please keep us updated about your house RH using the dehumidifier you have. I hope it's not too drying.

 

[Blossom]

I hope it would be a good investment for you and your family Blossom. Please keep us updated about your house RH using the dehumidifier you have. I hope it's not too drying.

Thanks, will do! It’s really humid here in the summer and dry in the winter so it should help me fine tune my dehumidifier usage!

 

[Vileplume]

@Rafe @Lejeboca thinking back to our conversation about optimal cities in Texas for living, El Paso looks pretty good.

Relatively high population (for those who want that) and it’s over 3700 feet.

 

[Blossom]

@Rafe @Lejeboca thinking back to our conversation about optimal cities in Texas for living, El Paso looks pretty good.

Relatively high population (for those who want that) and it’s over 3700 feet.

We’ve been dreaming of moving to El Paso for a couple years.

 

[Vileplume]

We’ve been dreaming of moving to El Paso for a couple years.

Nice! What about it is drawing you there?

 

[Blossom]

Nice! What about it is drawing you there?

Climate and cost of living.

 

[Vileplume]

Climate and cost of living.

Maybe I'll see you there!

 

[Blossom]

Maybe I'll see you there!

That would be awesome!

 

[Birdie]

We’ve been dreaming of moving to El Paso for a couple years.

Blossom did you see the interview Mercola did with Dr Perro a couple of days ago? It had helpful info and encouragement for vaxx injury. She is wonderful. I think it's on Vimeo.

 

[Blossom]

Blossom did you see the interview Mercola did with Dr Perro a couple of days ago? It had helpful info and encouragement for vaxx injury. She is wonderful. I think it's on Vimeo.

Not yet, I have it on my list though. Thank you so much!

 

[Rafe]

@Rafe @Lejeboca thinking back to our conversation about optimal cities in Texas for living, El Paso looks pretty good.

Relatively high population (for those who want that) and it’s over 3700 feet.

I’ll take a look.
That part of Texas & a section up by Odessa are on different electrical grids from the rest of the state.

At the moment central Texans I know are worried about wildfire, water availability, & grid failure over the summer.

I just got back from the Hill Country a couple of weeks ago. A lot of people moving in there. Plus side: I met people who are shifting their energy away from being provoked all the time & into networking & solutions with other new homesteaders. There is a learning curve.

Very positive environment in the Hill Country. But taxes are going up a lot there. A lot.

As for the hot climates that aren’t relieved by elevation: I see what RP warns about these. Too hot to tolerate thyroid. So if your temps are high in a place that’s 100 degrees it may be b/c you are roasting & not b/c your metabolism is cooking. But being cooked. I guess if your metabolism is already high then it can adjust, or you take less thyroid.

 

[Birdie]

Really interesting answer Ray gave to the ultrasound (US) treatment for cancer question.

On the subject of ultrasound, I remember an instructor emphasizing that US is never used over the gravid uterus. So, these USs to check the fetus have always bothered me.

 

[Birdie]

I’ll take a look.
That part of Texas & a section up by Odessa are on different electrical grids from the rest of the state.

At the moment central Texans I know are worried about wildfire, water availability, & grid failure over the summer.

I just got back from the Hill Country a couple of weeks ago. A lot of people moving in there. Plus side: I met people who are shifting their energy away from being provoked all the time & into networking & solutions with other new homesteaders. There is a learning curve.

Very positive environment in the Hill Country. But taxes are going up a lot there. A lot.

As for the hot climates that aren’t relieved by elevation: I see what RP warns about these. Too hot to tolerate thyroid. So if your temps are high in a place that’s 100 degrees it may be b/c you are roasting & not b/c your metabolism is cooking. But being cooked. I guess if your metabolism is already high then it can adjust, or you take less thyroid.

I just posted a map showing the weakness in the grid. Will find it - Here:
? The Economist ran a story yesterday headlined, “Where is monkeypox spreading fastest?” The story provided a helpful heat map showing where monkeypox is spreading most. It’s also a helpful guide for the sexually adventurous. Spain looks to be the networking hot spot just now.

 

[Rafe]

@Birdie I can’t see your Texas grid weakness map link.

I did go search for it & couldn’t find exactly that. I did find I’d made a mistake: Odessa TX IS on the ERCOT grid. It’s the Lubbock area that is part of the Western States grid system, and El Paso. There are some border areas with Mexico that on some maps look like they have some grid exchange.

Also, not all the maps I found are the same. Some show parts of East & Coastal TX on a separate system. Some don’t.