Frizz is the evil accomplice to high humidity. It confronts us in the mirror in the morning and sets us up for a bad start to the day.  

So how does it happen? Humidity causes hydrogen molecules to bond between water and proteins in your hair. This can make straight hair curl or frizz.

For sufferers of asthma and other respiratory conditions, humidity can make breathing difficult. Humidity causes an explosion in the population of dust mites and encourages mildew and mould. The allergens and pollutants these generate tend to stay trapped in humid air and can trigger lung irritation.

Tossing and turning at night lately? Yep, humidity is probably responsible. Moisture laden air presents a big challenge for body’s cooling system. It’s hard for sweat to evaporate when there’s so much moisture in the air. This makes us feel hotter and thus uncomfortable at night, which makes it hard to sleep. 

That, in turn, makes us listless and lethargic during the day and pining for a cool dry place and some restful sleep.

Apart from the flyaway hair (for which there’s myriad products that may or may not help), we can take steps to make ourselves a little more comfortable. 

Airconditioning and dehumidifiers can help us breathe easier. Cutting down on physical exertion can prevent us overheating. Sleeping on cotton will make for a better night’s sleep. Those polyester sheets? Ditch ’em right away.