The contrast hit me like a wall of air the moment I stepped off the plane. After having spent a semester teaching in New York City’s humid environment, returning to Mexico City in December felt like entering a different atmospheric realm. Over the span of 3 months, the city I had left during the rainy season had transformed into a dry climate that quickly (and visibly) began taking its toll on my body.
The perfect conditions for dryness
Mexico City’s dry season, spanning from November to April, is shaped by a complex interplay of natural and historical, human-caused factors. The city’s location on a high plateau surrounded by mountains creates a unique microclimate where atmospheric circulation patterns and a rain shadow effect naturally limit precipitation. The rain shadow effect occurs when a mountain range (in this case the Sierra de Guadalupe mountains) blocks rain-producing weather systems, creating a dry area on the leeward side of the mountain.
This natural tendency toward dryness has been intensified by humans since colonial times, when Spanish settlers made the questionable decision of draining the ancient lakes upon which Mexico City was built. When the Spanish arrived, they took one look at the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan, a sophisticated Venice-like city built on interconnected lakes, and thought: “Let’s get rid of this H2O.” Five centuries later, that choice has come back to haunt the city’s 22 million inhabitants. Urban development and regional deforestation have further disrupted the natural water cycle, creating increasingly arid conditions.
At an elevation of 7,350 feet, Mexico City’s high-altitude environment magnifies these dry conditions in ways that profoundly affect daily life. The thin air at this elevation holds significantly less moisture than at sea level, and when combined with the seasonal lack of rainfall, creates particularly harsh conditions between March and May. During these peak dry months, the city’s residents and visitors alike face a challenging environment where the air literally pulls moisture from their bodies, making it increasingly important to adapt and develop strategies for maintaining proper hydration.
Arid effects
Within my first week back, the effects were impossible to ignore. Despite regular water intake, my skin began showing signs of dehydration. Small flakes became visible on my forehead between my brow, and — even though I was using copious amounts of chapstick — my lips were incessantly cracked and dry. Even my hair, freshly cut just a week before my return, couldn’t escape the effects. The ends quickly became dry and brittle, losing their natural shine and flexibility. The most uncomfortable symptom — and excuse the graphic detail — was the hardening of mucus in my nasal passages, and sometimes nosebleeds from the dryness.
Many residents and visitors also experience a risk of respiratory symptoms and increased sickness due to the dry weather. “Low humidity during Mexico City’s dry season can dry out the nasal and throat lining, impairing their ability to trap bacteria and increasing the risk of virus transmission.” explains OxygenAdvantage Respiratory Coach Manuel Angel Hakim. “This dry air also causes airway constriction, worsening asthma and allergies.”
A moisture mission
There are a few strategies that visitors and residents alike can use to mitigate the symptoms and protect health:
Master your hydration
Hydration is crucial, but it’s not just about drinking loads of water. Electrolytes are the secret to providing essential minerals that help your body retain and internally distribute water effectively. Without them, water ingested often passes through the body too quickly to properly hydrate. In dry, high-altitude environments like Mexico City, individuals lose both water and electrolytes through breathing and sweating, so replacing both helps maintain proper hydration better than water alone. While Americans might reach for Gatorade, Mexicans typically imbibe Electrolit — an electrolyte-enhanced drink. I personally prefer more natural alternatives like coconut water, which avoids artificial ingredients and added sugars.
Practice the art of nasal breathing
Switch from mouth to nose breathing — it’s not just about avoiding dry mouth. Your nose is literally designed to humidify air before it hits your lungs. Practice conscious nasal breathing throughout the day, especially during exercise or when outdoors. Think of your nose as nature’s built-in humidifier. Coach Hakim recommended practicing nasal breathing at all times, and integrating light breathing with a slow cadence as a morning practice. “What this looks like is sitting down and inhaling for 4 seconds and exhaling for 6 seconds, always through your nose, for a total of 5 minutes,” he explained. “This exercise will help you relax, keep warm and strengthen your immune system.”
Embrace the power of steam
A quick trick I like to use is to turn my shower into a sauna (or mini-spa, if you will). Close all bathroom doors and windows while taking a hot shower, creating your own personal steam room. Spend an extra five minutes breathing in the steam through your nose — it’s like a free respiratory therapy session that helps maintain moisture in the nasal passages and prevent sickness.
Bonus: While still in your steamy environment, moisturize your skin and add a hair mask to get optimal absorption. Applying moisturizer while your skin is still damp from showering also locks in hydration.
Humidify your casa
Our respiratory system functions best at 40-60% humidity, but during Mexico City’s cold months, indoor humidity often drops below this range. Invest in a good humidifier for your bedroom and maintain humidity levels around 50%. Place it near your bed while you sleep, when your body naturally dehydrates. For maximum benefit, close your bedroom door to keep the moisture in. Consider getting a smaller one for your work space too if you spend long hours at a desk.
Make saline your new buddy
Keep saline nasal spray or rinses handy. These can be found at most pharmacies in the city. A quick spritz every few days helps prevent the dreaded nosebleeds and crusty buildup. For a deeper clean, use a neti pot with saline solution. If you’ve never used one before, you’re in for a weird-feeling – but oddly satisfying– treat. Just make sure to use purified water and follow the instructions carefully.
Hydration through preparation
In a city built on drained lakes, we here in CDMX are ironically trying to add moisture back into our lives. With knowledge and the right tools, you can learn to navigate the city’s arid months with grace. The best defense against dryness isn’t just hydration — it’s preparation.
Let us know what your strategies are in the comments below!
Monica Belot is a writer, researcher, strategist and adjunct professor at Parsons School of Design in New York City, where she teaches in the Strategic Design & Management Program. Splitting her time between NYC and Mexico City, where she resides with her naughty silver labrador puppy Atlas, Monica writes about topics spanning everything from the human experience to travel and design research. Follow her varied scribbles on Medium at https://medium.com/@monicabelot.
