# why do i get nosebleeds and static electricity during winter **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 11, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-get-nosebleeds-and-static-electricity-during-winter/212510 "2003-11-11T00:00:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-get-nosebleeds-and-static-electricity-during-winter/212510/1 "2003-11-11T00:00:30Z")
Last winter i had alot of nosebleeds and static electricity. Now that its mid november both are starting again. What is it about winter (if winter is tied into this) that is causing this? is it humidity, low temp, or what? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-get-nosebleeds-and-static-electricity-during-winter/212510/2 "2003-11-11T00:27:47Z")
Heating air lowers its relative humidity, because warm air can hold more water vapor than cold air. Installing a humidifier should alleviate much of the problem. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-get-nosebleeds-and-static-electricity-during-winter/212510/3 "2003-11-11T00:50:44Z")
yep, it’s the low humidity. As Q.E.D said. You can also place some pans of water near heat sources. By your hot air ducts, or in front of or on a radiator. Doesn’t cost anything. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-get-nosebleeds-and-static-electricity-during-winter/212510/4 "2003-11-11T01:56:17Z")
yeah. i already have a humidifier running in the apartment ever since the first nosebleed. ---
**Author:** ![Titan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Titan2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Titan2)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-get-nosebleeds-and-static-electricity-during-winter/212510/5 "2003-11-11T02:28:09Z")
One trick I’ve used,after having a humidifier that seemed to turn my bedroom into a steambath,is to just put pots/bowls (abt gallon or more size) of water in every room,which I empty daily since my cat thinks I did it for her benefit. Seems to do the job with a lot less ambient humidity.I have hot air heat and the bowls lay under the vents.My guess is that’s maximum evaporation there. If that seems tacky,I suppose the more esthetically inclined could use decorative bowls/urns On preview I see \*\* enipla \*\* beat me to the punch.Carry on ---
**Author:** ![DaveRaver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daveraver/32/1078_2.png) [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-get-nosebleeds-and-static-electricity-during-winter/212510/6 "2003-11-11T02:30:44Z")
When i started taking 1000 mg of Vitamin C a day, my nosebleeds went away. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-get-nosebleeds-and-static-electricity-during-winter/212510/7 "2003-11-11T03:05:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DaveRaver \* > \*\*When i started taking 1000 mg of Vitamin C a day, my nosebleeds went away. \*\* And got rid of that nasty case of scurvy too! ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-get-nosebleeds-and-static-electricity-during-winter/212510/8 "2003-11-11T05:25:44Z")
Hang your laundry up inside the house. I tried saline nasal spray - got rid of the humidity ok, but rusted all my appliances.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bob55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Bob55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob55)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-get-nosebleeds-and-static-electricity-during-winter/212510/9 "2003-11-11T06:04:56Z")
Ok this might sound a bit gross, but long ago while visiting the very cold an dry northern Michigan during the winter I kept getting nose bleeds (not gushing but still bleeding). I remember taking toilet paper, bunching it up into the shape of a pencil, adding some moisturizing lotion to the end, and shoving it up my nose to re-moisturize the area. It worked wonders.