According to a recent report by the American Lung Association, over 11 million more people are experiencing poor air quality when compared with last year.
As women, we are always seeking ways to improve our health. As well as researching the latest gym routines, mental health tips and aromatherapy practices, you could take a look at the air quality in your home.
Here we look at what causes poor air quality, plus how breathing clean air can benefit your health in both the short and long term.
What Causes Poor Air Quality?
Poor air quality can lead to numerous health issues, including stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, and more. But what are the main causes of poor air quality? Let’s demystify the topic of poor air quality by covering some of the most frequently occurring indoor air pollutants:
- Dust: Dust is something that will occur in pretty much every indoor space – diligently cleaned or dirty. However, when we fail to thoroughly clean and manage the dust levels, they can inevitably become airborne and compromise our respiratory and overall health.
- Airborne chemicals: Whether you’re working with chokingly odored hairspray, bleach, or other chemical agents, you need to ensure proper ventilation to reduce the level of these irritants and corrosive chemicals in the air.
- Asbestos: Asbestos was a scarily common building material until it was found to be life-threateningly dangerous. The presence of asbestos can lead to unfortunate conditions like emphysema and cancer when it is not removed from a space and becomes airborne.
- Mold: Mold occurs mostly in damp and poorly ventilated areas, producing little invisible spores that become airborne. When you inhale mold spores, your poor respiratory system is unfortunately going to suffer.
- Pet dander: Pet dander is just one example of the surmounting types of allergens that can make their way into the air inside your home. When you breathe it in, it can irritate the lungs and lead to an irritatingly blocked nose and stuffy feeling while compromising your respiratory health.
- Vaping/Smoking: Public and shared spaces should be fitted with smoke and vape detection sensors to prevent second-hand smoke in shared air spaces.
With so many pollutants compromising the air quality around us, it’s no wonder why we may suffer brain fog and poor health regularly.
How Does Quality Air Benefit Your Health?
When you devote time to improving the air quality indoors, you can revolutionize your health and even significantly extend your life. Here are some of the ways quality air can benefit your health:
- Reduced allergy symptoms: With more ventilation and air filtering, you can reduce allergy symptoms immensely. Less pet dander, less pollen, and less dust. You can say goodbye to your stuffy nose and weeping eyes for a better, brighter, and healthier future. Uncontrolled allergies can increase inflammation in the body, making it more difficult to conceive.
- Reduced risk of health conditions: By managing dirty indoor air pollutants, you can reduce your risk of emphysema, heart conditions, and respiratory conditions immensely, allowing you a longer and healthier life.
- Improved productivity: Better air quality inevitably means more oxygen for your body, allowing you to work smarter and longer without brain fog, headaches, and other consequences of poor air quality.
You can gain all of these benefits for your health by investing in ventilation A/C systems and air quality sensors that provide cleansing filtration and ventilation for your indoor spaces.
Summary
We all care about our health. We invest in aromatherapy, skincare, and supplements to feel good in our bodies. You can’t outrun the consequences of poor air quality – like allergies and emphysema – but you can prevent them from happening by investing in air quality solutions. Is today the day you start breathing better? Consider the benefits listed above and whether now’s the time to act.
Photo by eberhard grossgasteiger from Pexels (Canva Free).