Improving Air Quality: How Does It Affect Sleep?

Has your sleep been unsatisfying lately? You may want to check your house’s air quality because it can significantly affect a good night’s rest. 

Studies show that the amount of particle pollution in the air can disrupt your blissful and cozy sleep. Martha Billings, MD, MSc, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Washington and a co-author of the study published by the American Thoracic Society, agrees that particles in the air can affect sleep quality.   

Dr. Billings showed that improving air quality can affect “sleep health,” or the quality of sleep one gets. 

The air that you breathe is not only composed of gas. Floating in that blanket of air are tiny particles that, once inhaled, can affect your sleep and overall health. 

For instance, asbestos is a toxic substance that can become airborne. People can get exposed to this toxic compound even inside their homes. 

When asbestos in floor tiles, pieces of vinyl, and other items crumble, they release microscopic fibers that remain suspended in the air, entering your lungs as you inhale.   

Mesothelioma is the primary type of cancer that’s linked to asbestos exposure. Treatment of this disease relies heavily on early prognosis, which is why understanding mesothelioma stages is crucial for correct treatment and medication. 

This article addresses the problems concerning sleep, like the connection of sleeplessness to air quality and how good sleep quality can improve the body’s general health. You’ll also know the benefits of having air purifiers in your home.

Air Quality and Sleep: Is There a Connection? 

When a person gets sick or needs to recuperate, a doctor always advises eating healthy foods, exercising, and getting enough rest.  

You sleep to recharge yourself for the next day. It is the body’s way of repairing damaged tissues and cells. 

But some studies show that your chance of getting a good night’s sleep can be affected when you breathe the things floating in the air. These particles can produce a reaction in your body that stops you from getting the sleep you want. 

The study co-authored by Martha Billings, MD, MSc, revealed that in their research, people exposed to air with fine-particle pollutants were 50% more likely to have low sleep efficiency. 

The researchers also say that exposure to particle pollutants may cause upper airway irritation, congestion, and even problems in the central nervous system, including brain areas linked to sleep and breathing. 

Particle pollution is one factor that can affect sleep. But what are the examples of these harmful particles lingering in your home? 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists a few examples of particulates or tiny pieces of matter that pollute the air: 

• Dust
• Dirt
• Soot
• Smoke
• Drops of liquid

 

Aside from these, some particles are so small the eyes can’t see them. Microscopic particles are dangerous, as some substances remain suspended in the air. People can breathe in those particles without noticing them. 

Asbestos fiber is an example of a microscopic substance that’s hard to detect. This material is so toxic that exposure to this compound may lead to a rare type of cancer called mesothelioma. 

So, if you want peace of mind as you slumber in your bed, recuperating and recharging for the day ahead, ensure the air in your home and bedroom is free from particle pollutants.

 

Benefits of Air Purifiers 

One way to clean the air is by using air purifiers. The question is, how good are air purifiers in cleaning the air, and what benefits can you get from these types of equipment?

When you pick air purifiers, look for certified HEPA filtration. High-efficiency particulate arresting air filter, or HEPA, is an air filter that can lower one’s risk of exposure to contaminants. You can check out some of these products here. 

These filters can catch various particles in the air and help remove most contaminants that affect your sleep quality. Air purifiers may also help remove dangerous particles and lessen your risk of exposure to toxic compounds like asbestos.

Here are the benefits of using air purifiers: 

• Air purifiers can help people sleep better: Like what you’ve read from the start of this write-up, air purifiers can help you get good sleep quality by removing particle pollutants in the air.   

• Air purifiers can help improve skin health: Air purifiers reduce harmful particles in the air that can cause skin irritation. These types of equipment can also lower your risk of acne, rashes, and dryness, leading to skin aging. 

• Air purifiers can reduce allergens in the air: Pollen, dust, and other fine particles can result in people getting allergies. HEPA filters can help prevent allergens from triggering allergy attacks in people. 

• Air purifiers can reduce asthma attacks: Allergens can contaminate the air, triggering asthma attacks in people. Air purifiers can reduce the number of particulates in the air and lessen cases of asthma. 

• Air purifiers can reduce stress: These appliances can help improve the environment inside your home or bedroom for better health and sleep quality. 

• Air purifiers can reduce mold growth: These appliances can filter floating mold spores and remove them from the air. Also, air purifiers help control the humidity level in your home to prevent mold and fungi from developing. 

• Air purifiers may help increase life expectancy: Air purifiers clean the air to reduce airborne contaminants, significantly improving your health and quality of life.  

• Air purifiers may help lessen the risk of asbestos exposure: When you’re living in a house or apartment built before the adoption of regulations against asbestos, there may be areas inside your home with traces of this toxic compound. People can inhale this material mixed in the air like dust without even noticing. Air purifiers can lessen that risk considerably. 

Air purifiers clean the air and improve its quality, promoting better sleep and overall well-being. 

If you can get a hold of these devices, put them to good use. Place them in your room and use them to clean the air to improve your health. 

Though you can’t remove every kind of particle present in the air through purifiers, you can lessen your risk of experiencing sleep deficiency and serious diseases brought about by airborne contaminants.

References

1. Air Pollution May Disrupt Sleep

https://www.thoracic.org/about/newsroom/press-releases/conference/billings-and-air-pollution-and-sleep.php

2. Particle Pollution

https://www.cdc.gov/air/particulate_matter.html