Fresh air is good. This statement shouldn’t need too much explanation. After all air is essential to our survival. A human being can go days without water, and even weeks without food, but just three minutes without air can be fatal. It stands to reason that the quality and freshness of the air we breathe is an essential factor in our continued good health and wellbeing.
In a world where we are exposed to so much polluted and recycled air, whether it be in the office, sitting in traffic or on public transport, it is more important than ever to ensure your home is a place where you can breathe easy. We’ll get into some ways you can make the air in your home fresher, but first it’s important to understand exactly how the freshness of air effects our health.
FRESH AIR HEALTH BENEFIT 1: IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR LUNGS
We thought we would get the obvious one out of the way. Fresh air not only keeps you alive, but it also cleans your lungs. During the day you are exposed to a myriad of air pollutants and toxins, which build up inside your lungs. When you are exposed to fresh air the increased levels of oxygen cause your lungs to dilate allowing these toxins to be expelled.
FRESH AIR HEALTH BENEFIT 2: IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR HEART
Your blood is the superhighway that takes the air from your lungs and distributes it to the rest of your body. It is no wonder that the quality of the air you are breathing has an effect on your blood system and heart. Breathing polluted air forces us to take more breaths to get the required amounts of oxygen and this puts the heart under extra strain, affecting heart rate and blood pressure.
FRESH AIR HEALTH BENEFIT #3: IT’S GOOD FOR DIGESTION
We’ve all heard the advice of taking a walk after a meal to help with digestion, and while this has a lot to do with the benefits of exercise, it is also about the fresh air stimulating blood flow which in turn helps your body break down food.
FRESH AIR HEALTH BENEFIT #4: IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
Your body relies on white blood cells to fight the bacteria and germs that cause illness. Access to fresh air ensures these disease fighting cells are strong and healthy, and with improved circulation your white blood cells are able to more effectively reach infected areas and fight disease.
FRESH AIR HEALTH BENEFIT #5: IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR MIND
Yoga revolves around breathing, and so do many forms of meditation. Breath exercises are a way for us to sharpen and focus the mind. More oxygen improves our concentration skills, relaxes us and provides us with more energy, all feelings that help us focus and apply ourselves.
FRESH AIR HEALTH BENEFIT #6: IT’S GOOD FOR SLEEP
Fresh air in your home is essential for proper sleep. The relaxing effect of oxygen helps your mind and body fall asleep. But even more importantly is the temperature provided by a fresh breeze moving through your room. Studies have shown that a cool breeze and slightly lower body temperature are the building blocks of a good night’s sleep.
FRESH AIR HEALTH BENEFIT #7: IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR MOOD
The more oxygen you breathe the happier you are. This is because oxygen stimulates the release of serotonin the chemical that governs happy feelings and positive emotions in your brain. Purer sources of oxygen mean more serotonin and a bigger smile on your face.
What should be clear at this point is that the quality and freshness of air has far reaching consequences that impact on almost all aspects of health and wellbeing. And the one place you have complete control is in your home.
There are a number of measures you can take to improve the air quality in your home. These include selecting the right houseplants, selecting those that remove the most toxins from the air or produce the most oxygen. Alternatively, you can use a salt lamp or piece of activated charcoal to help filter and clean the air. However, without proper ventilation, these measures will never be effective.
Ensuring air flow through your home allows Carbon Dioxide and airborne toxins to be diffused into the world naturally. This is one of the primary functions of LockLatch, letting you leave doors and windows open, while ensuring they are securely locked in place – enjoy the ultimate in safe ventilation and window security. LockLatch fits any window or door, whichever way it opens and whatever it is made of. It is also DYI-friendly allowing you to install it yourself and the adjustable size also gives you more control over how big you want the opening to be.
The positive benefits of better airflow are far reaching, and at least in our homes we can control the quality. It goes to show how making a small change like letting a little more air into your home can have a big effect in your health and wellbeing.
For more on safe and secure ventilation: