Air Health, Can We Improve Our Quality of Life by Breathing Better?

Which countries or regions are known for having a better life expectancy? They are usually natural, relaxed places with a mild climate. But above all, they are places where it is easier to breathe. Do you remember if someone moved to a place solely because they needed that climate? An example is the Portuguese writer José Saramago, who moved to the Canary Islands because he needed better air health.

But that is not the only beneficial place for our lungs. Some regions in Japan or Canada are known for the clean air, resulting in better health and comfort, as well as a higher life expectancy. We don’t even have to go that far; the Pyrenees are a fantastic place to enjoy fresh air. That’s why life expectancy is so high in Andorra.

Without a doubt, moving to one of these places or spending a vacation there can aid our health significantly. But what about indoor air? Is it less important, or can we neglect it?

The problem is that we always consider outdoor air, but our current lifestyle has led us to spend more time indoors. The global and interconnected world has increasingly made offices the most common work model. Entertainment systems also keep us indoors, and we cannot forget that most of our sleeping hours are at home.

If that’s the case, shouldn’t we be just as concerned or more about the health of indoor air than the air we breathe outdoors? Decades ago, it was understood that the same street air was what we had at home, and all we needed was to open a window to obtain it.

However, the risks of indoor air are diverse:

• Poor air renewal can promote the formation of germs and bacteria. This is the sick office effect, where contagion spreads quickly among workers due to poor circulation.
• Stale air can become stale air, which can not only be unpleasant but can also lead to respiratory illnesses.
• Although the air coming from outside may be healthy, indoors there are too many contaminants that worsen its quality. For example, the chemicals used in household cleaning.
• The air coming from outside into our homes can contain pollutants, bacteria, or even mosquitoes.
• If there is a moisture problem in our home, our health and comfort may be affected.

Therefore, it is essential to care about the health of the air we breathe indoors as much as we do outdoors. For this purpose, mechanical ventilation systems can provide us with better air than what is found in privileged outdoor environments or give us quality air in more polluted settings, as it filters and cleans the air before introducing it into our home.

How Can We Improve the Health of the Air We Breathe?

The benefits of good air health are many. From better rest or increased concentration to improvements in our skin and, above all, better lung health.

How can we breathe better and enjoy a higher air quality?

• Ventilation is essential for renewing air, both in summer and winter. Closed spaces do not help, and the best solution is a mechanical ventilation system. If one is not available, windows must be opened daily.
• Places with smoke or water vapor, like kitchens or bathrooms, are particularly sensitive.
• Bedrooms deserve special attention, as we are vulnerable during sleep. It is better to have better ventilation and lower temperatures in winter and to cover ourselves more than to overheat. Heating does not circulate the air, which is very harmful.
• The use of aerosols such as insecticides, air fresheners, or hairsprays should be minimized. If there are bad odors in your home, the air is in poor condition, and an air freshener will not clean it but will further contaminate it.
• When exercising, try to do so always in clean air locations. Don’t run near busy roads.
• Whenever you use chemical products to disinfect your home and do not have a ventilation system, open the windows before using them, and especially keep them open for at least half an hour after cleaning. The same should be done while cooking if it produces smoke.

Remember that air health is as important as what we eat or drink. Sometimes we neglect air because it doesn’t have as visible effects as food, but breathing poor air can lead us to contract very dangerous diseases, in addition to drastically reducing our comfort.