It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that breathing polluted air can be dangerous to ones health. Unfortunately air pollution is extremely hard to see, hiding in plain site in the form of microscopic particles and gasses. Common illnesses associated with outdoor air pollution range from worsening asthma, pulmonary disease, cardiac failure to strokes and even cancer.
Humans have evolved overtime with a built in filtration system, our lungs. Pollutants like dust and pollen get trapped in our airways and filtered out by coughs, sneezes and mucus buildup. But our lungs can only filter out a finite amount of airborne pollution, so it is important to understand the benefits of breathing clean air and how to protect your lungs.
1. Increased lung capacity 🏃♂️
As mentioned above our lungs filter out a number of airborne pollutants. With increased lung capacity you will find exercising and strenuous activity easier, improved focus and mental acuity.
2. Better sleep quality 😴
Clear and healthy breathing pathways will allow you to sleep easier, wake up less and decrease snoring. Since breathing will be even, you will not wake up in the middle of the night coughing or in the morning with a stuffy nose.
3. Promotes mental health 🧠
Exposure to large amounts of air pollutants like PM2.5 has shown to increase the likelihood of anxiety, depression and can take a toll on our ability to focus and learn.
4. Reduce change of lung, heart, & arterial diseases 🤒
The more pollution you breathe the higher the risk that you may become sick. While not always fatal, a constant cough or an increase in asthma attacks can have a negative impact on our daily lives.
5. Improve asthma and allergy symptoms 🤧
For those who already suffer from asthma or seasonal allergies, keeping track of local air pollution is extremely important. High levels of air pollution can make symptoms worse and cause complicating factors.
High levels of air pollution have shown to have adverse health effects on humans. Make sure that you are informed about local air pollution by signing up for Sensibo's FREE weekly air quality index (AQI) email updates.
While outdoor air pollution can be harmful there are a number of simple steps that you can take to help protect yourself.
Make sure that your windows are shut when high levels of air pollution are present.
Sign up for an air quality index alert system and increase awareness for yourself and loved ones
Even a simple medical mask can be an effective tool in protecting your lungs from highly polluted air.
The air inside your home can be just as polluted as outdoors, an air purifier can neutralize a wide range of pollutants
Cars continue to be one of the biggest air polluters worldwide. The combustion from their engines create a number of pollutants
While many of us live in residential areas the smoke from factories and energy plants can travel many miles when it is windy
Increasingly the world is seeing an increase in seasonal wildfires that while often accidental, cause mass amounts of air pollution
While not a man made pollutant, plant pollen is another seasonal air pollutant that can cause allergic reactions