What are the Symptoms of Bad Air Quality? Save Your Health

Air is a substance without which we cannot live for a minute. This is the most important thing that provides life for a human being, and our body absorbs more air every day than water, food, or any other substance. Every day, we take between 12,000 and 25,000 breaths.

Each breath of a city resident contains from 5 to 50 million particles of dirt, dust, allergens, aerosols, exhaust gases, smog, and other pollutants. The source of pollution is everything around us: street dust, car emissions, forest fires, factory and factory emissions, heavy metals and building particles, which are vaporized by the sun from different surfaces, hair spray, used actively by people to fix their hair. With dust mites, plant pollen, bacteria, fungi, and viruses, the air is full of microplastic, phenols, and, of course, house dust. Everything in the air is mainly going to our lungs, but also settles on the skin, mucous eyes, mouth, nose, and ears. In addition to the combustion products, cars produce the toxic gas NO2, which is nitrogen dioxide.

By affecting our respiratory mechanism, it can cause harmful changes in blood composition, reducing the amount of hemoglobin in the blood. According to the WHO, it is the most dangerous pollutant of air masses. Symptoms of bad air quality are vast and very dangerous to our lungs, heart and overall health.

What is Air Quality?

Air quality index - AQI - This abbreviation is used by all world environmental public authorities to inform the public about the level of air pollution and also to predict air pollution. In cases of increasing the air quality index level, a high percentage of pollution in civilization has a significant impact on health.

The calculation of an air quality index requires obtaining information about the level of pollution over a certain average period obtained from gas analyzers monitoring air quality or calculated method (which is a less accurate method to determine air pollution). The concentration and time of pollutants in the atmosphere are taken together. Epidemiological studies determine the effect of a specific amount of pollution on health. Air pollutants vary in the strength and function used to convert air pollutants into an air quality index, varying by pollutant. The air quality index is usually formed by levels, each level having its own description and characteristic, color code, and standardized information message about the impact on public health.

Our homes are becoming more and more airtight with the development of building technologies. However, this is the factor not of getting rid of dirt but its accumulation because we are not so isolated from the external environment, as we are not allowing outdoor air to blow dirt out of the house due to natural circulation. Indoors, we work, exercise, sleep, bathe, cook, and use cosmetics - and all this produces dust and dirt. Our dead skin cells make up 50% of the house dust that can accumulate in secluded places for years. And the dust is constantly in the air that we breathe. On average, in the life of one person, a dream is about 17 years, each breath from which contains dust, allergens, and everything that literally suffocates us.

But if you cannot influence the global factor, then it is absolutely within your power to purify the air locally - in your home, apartment and office. Consider looking for air purification system for your home environment, or your general place of residence.

What Causes Poor Indoor Air Quality?

The air quality index may increase due to many factors such as traffic rush hour, fire, no wind, or lack of diluent air pollutants. Stationary air, often caused by anticyclones, temperature inversion, or low wind speed, allows air pollutants to remain in one place, resulting in high concentrations of pollutants, as well as the chemical reaction between pollutants in the atmosphere, and also leads to the formation of smog.

A variety of reasons cause poor indoor air quality:

• The atmosphere is contaminated and penetrates inside;
• Combustion of fuels (gasoline, gas, kerosene, coal, and wood);
• Smoking;
• Various building materials;
• Furniture from chipboard;
• Household cleaning products;
• Personal care products;
• Radon;
• Pesticides.

Some of these sources release harmful substances when they are used. Others, such as air fresheners or PCB furniture, emit pollutants continuously. Some sources produce gaseous pollutants, such as formaldehyde or radon, while others emit small particles that pollute the air (such as asbestos or mold spores) and decrease overall air quality.

Common Symptoms from Bad Air Quality

The alarming «bell» that warns about what should be checked air in the apartment - is a deterioration of health. People who breathe polluted air often suffer from headaches and insomnia. There may be a sharp decline in immunity and an increase in the incidence of colds. Such air can cause asthmatic symptoms and lead to the appearance or worsening of allergies. Also, it can appear in the eyes, quickly tiring - especially sensitive to the presence of harmful substances in the air, small children. Babies can develop various allergies, asthma, skin diseases, thyroid gland function may be impaired, etc.

Poor air quality symptoms include:

• Respiratory problems;
• Cough and wheezing;
• Dyspnea, asthma attacks;
• Allergic reactions;
• Sneezing and runny nose;
• Eyes and throat itch;
• Physical discomfort and headaches;
• Fatigue.

Who is at Risk From Dirty Air?

Children

Children are more susceptible to air pollutants and various adverse factors in general, as their immunity is still being formed. Their lungs are smaller, their immunity is weaker, and their respiratory tract is narrower. In addition, the level of child metabolism will envy any adult, and therefore, they and air inhale and exhale more adults. And since lung tissue in children is slower to recover than in adults, and it’s more easily affected, it’s no surprise that taking care of clean air is primarily a direct concern for your children and grandchildren.

Allergics

You are a very happy person if you do not suffer from any allergies. One in three of the world’s children are susceptible to allergies, and about 40% of them are prone to allergies between 0 and 18 years of age. Allergies can be congenital or may occur when immunity is weak, overcome by poor ecology and nutrition. Dirty air is among the most common causes of respiratory allergies. If you are allergic, then every walk out or stay in a room with dirty air can be a real challenge for you.

Elderly People

At an age when health is not so strong and the number of «ailments» begins to accumulate every year, even despite the purchase of many drugs, Dirty air can quite easily lead to one or more new diseases and greatly worsen the existing ones. Older people are most likely to experience impaired organ function and may not understand that the cause of poor health can be what they breathe.

How to Protect Your Health From Bad Air Quality?

About 50% of the air we use in our lives is inhaled at home. Knowing this, we need to make a serious effort to ensure the purity of the substance that passes through our lungs every minute. As a result, we can not only breathe the mundane that nature defined for us millions of years ago - clean air that contains thousands of times less dirt than in modern industrial times - but also raise the overall quality and longevity of our lives, ensuring better health and mood.

Fortunately, there are ways to improve the quality of air in almost any home. Here are some ideas on how to improve the quality of air in your home:

• Regularly dust and wet clean.
• Clean bed linen and soft furniture regularly.
• Do not smoke indoors.
• Periodically clean your kitchen, heating, and fuel appliances.
• Use exhaust fans when cooking.
• Install carbon monoxide detector.
• Avoid smoke-free appliances.
• Choose low-VOC interior, furniture, handicraft, and paint products.
• Check if you live in a high radon area and act accordingly if so.

How do Air Cleaners Help Improve the Quality of Home Air?

There are many ways in which air purifiers play an important role in improving indoor air quality:

• Neutralize unpleasant smells in the house, for example, after cooking;
• Help prevent mold;
• Remove viruses and bacteria from the air;
• Filter allergens such as pollen, dust, and pet hair;
• Capture solid particles (PM).

Tips for Good Air Quality

Maintaining good air quality is essential for our health and well-being. The symptoms of bad air quality, such as respiratory problems, allergies, headaches, and fatigue, highlight the need to monitor and improve the air we breathe. Here are some critical steps to ensure better air quality in your home and protect your health:

Monitor and Improve Indoor Air Quality: Use air cleaners, such as those from Sensibo, to filter out pollutants, allergens, and harmful particles. These devices can significantly improve indoor air quality by neutralizing unpleasant smells, preventing mold, and removing viruses and bacteria.

Regular Cleaning: Dust and clean your home regularly. Pay special attention to bed linen and soft furniture, which can harbor dust mites and allergens. Wet cleaning can help reduce the amount of dust and dirt in the air.

Proper Ventilation: Ensure your home is well-ventilated. Use exhaust fans when cooking, and consider installing a carbon monoxide detector to monitor harmful gases.

Avoid Indoor Smoking: Do not smoke indoors, as tobacco smoke is a significant source of indoor air pollution. If you smoke, do so outside to keep indoor air clean.

Use Natural Methods: Incorporate houseplants that can naturally purify the air and improve indoor air quality. Plants such as spider plants, snake plants, and peace lilies are known for their air-purifying properties.

Being aware of the symptoms of bad air quality and taking proactive steps to improve it can significantly enhance your health and quality of life. By following these tips and using reliable air purification systems like those from Sensibo, you can ensure that the air you breathe at home is as clean and healthy as possible.