How Does Indoor Air Quality Affect Your Health?

When it comes to health, it is important to become aware of all factors that affect your overall wellbeing. Which is why, we have reached out to indoor air quality experts from The Healthy Home®  to help you discover how the air you breathe can affect your health, and why you should prioritise improving it as part of your health journey.

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Dust and Pollutants

We tend to overlook just how many pollutants and microbes exist in our surroundings. We breathe in a fair amount of dust every day, made especially worse by the frequent sand and dust storms that tend to hit the region. Additionally, dust and other air pollutants are quite common in most households. In fact, indoor air quality tends to be, on average, 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air quality. This means that, as dusty and smoggy as it is outside, you might be worse off at home!

What can you do about it? Well to improve the air quality within your home, you’ll need to identify where the pollutants come from. Dirty AC ducts, dusty carpets, furniture, and even your doormat can be the biggest culprits at times. 

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Asthma

Due to the average air quality being quite low, asthma rates in children have gone up by 160% in the past few decades. Many cases of asthma are made worse simply due to a bad air quality in a person’s environment, both outside and at home. In short, the lower the air quality, the higher the risk of developing asthma. People who already have asthma will also find themselves regularly struggling to breathe in such an environment when compared to a cleaner one with better air quality. One direct cause is simply the level of dust found in the air and not much can be done to combat this outside, but at home you should take the right steps to keep your environment dust free. 

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Allergies

Allergens are frequently found in the air, whether it’s dust, pollen, pet dander or something else. People with allergies tend to suffer from worsening effects and more regular flare-ups when these allergens are present in the surrounding air. Humidity is also a massive factor when it comes to allergies, as a humid environment naturally encourages dust mites and other insects, as well as mould. All of these factors can have a serious negative impact on a person’s health and make it even worse when that person is suffering from allergies.

How Can You Improve Your Indoor Air Quality?

1. Step 1: Start off by first identifying the possible causes of bad air quality in your home. When was the last time you had your AC ducts cleaned? When was the last time you cleaned your carpets, sofas, and mattresses? If you have never done any of that, it's time to get your indoor air quality tested by a professional to check for mould, dust mites, and the general status of your indoor air quality.
2. Step 2: Now it’s time to implement solutions that can improve your health in the short and long-term. Here is what you can do to ensure that the air quality in your house is healthy:

• Deep clean your HVAC system and AC ducts for cleaner airflow. This should be done every 6 months.
• Make sure your furniture, and especially your mattresses, are sanitised and deep cleaned. You can also keep them clean by regularly vacuuming them with a high powered vacuum cleaner. 
• Consider investing in ways to keep your air quality high, such as by placing an air purifier in your bedrooms and living room. Remember this is an investment for your health! 
• Seal your trash cans properly to prevent odours and pollutants from seeping out and attracting harmful pests.

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Whatever happens, to be in the air you breathe, ultimately ends up in your lungs. Breathing in pure, clean air not only can help with allergies and asthma but it can also help reduce feelings of fatigue, and stress, and even improve sleep. The best results are often seen in the long run, when you are regularly exposed to clean air, which is why you should try to keep the air around you clean as part of your personal wellness plan.

bioniq LIFE subscribers will be entitled to a 10% discount applicable on all services provided by The Healthy Home. To book your treatment or learn more about their services, reach out to our wellness partner. 

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