Going to bed earlier is one of the best things you can do for your health. Bad sleeping patterns are linked to all sorts of health conditions, and people that don’t get much sleep have a far higher risk of developing depression and anxiety. But getting a good night’s sleep is a lot easier said than done. An estimated 1 in 3 adults are missing out on their recommended 8 hours.
There are so many different reasons for lack of sleep, but stress is often the culprit. Many people find that regular exercise helps a lot too. However, some people try all of the usual remedies and still find that they just can’t drift off at night. In this instance, you should consider seeing a doctor because it could be a sleep condition, but it could also be air pollution.
What Is The Relationship Between Air Pollution And Sleep?
We’re all pretty well aware of the issues with air pollution across the world but people are less aware of how bad the air quality can be inside their own homes. Pollution from outside can easily get in and fumes given off by cooking or cleaning chemicals lead to more pollution. If you don’t have a clear air flow throughout the home, you are constantly breathing in that pollution and it could be having an impact on your sleep.
In recent studies, researchers found that people that were exposed to high levels of common air pollutants are 60% more likely to have low sleep quality. The exact reasoning for this is unclear as it could be down to the fact that people in high pollution areas are likely to live closer to a busy road, so the noise from the cars is keeping them up. However, pollutants are known to irritate the airways and it could be this that stops people from getting a good night’s sleep.
Although the exact reason for the link is not yet clear, we do know that poor air quality could be to blame for your lack of sleep.
What Can You Do About It?
If you’ve tried everything else and you can’t find any way to improve your sleep, you should look for ways to improve air quality around the home.
Having an air conditioning system is always a big help because it keeps a constant cycle of clean air coming in and filters out any pollutants. Unfortunately, if the filters are broken or they haven’t been changed, or there is something else wrong with the AC unit, it will have the opposite effect. If you notice anything wrong with your AC unit, call out a 24 Hour AC Repair company right away and get it looked at. If you keep running it while it’s broken, you will damage the air quality in your home.
Opening a window to increase the flow of air through your home can also help, but you should consider the amount of outdoor pollution. If you live right next to a busy road, it’s best to stick to the AC unit instead.
There are all sorts of reasons for lack of sleep and it can be quite a complicated thing to manage, but you should consider whether air pollution could have a role to play.
I’ve noticed a significant increase in dust and pollutants in my home even after regular maintenance by the HVAC Contractor Delray Beach company. Could it be that outdoor air pollution is compromising the system's effectiveness?