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Constantly Battling Breathing Problems at Home

Here’s a new question I just received for Alyssa, and it’s focused on her and her family’s home. She reports that her, her husband, and her two kids wake up every morning with runny eyes and a stuffy head. This has been going on for nearly a year now. She’s sure it isn’t seasonal allergies.

Alyssa says no one is sick otherwise, and the issue typically clears up as soon as they leave for the day.

Poor Air Quality at Home

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. According to research by the EPA, the air in most of our homes is worse than it is outside. That’s because modern buildings are so well insulated (great for energy savings). Where this doesn’t work out so well is the lack of proper air flow.

Air flow clears out dirty, stagnant air on a regular basis. But when there’s no flow, all of the contaminants remain stagnant or are constantly being shuffled around.

Open Windows More Often

The easiest, quickest, and cheapest way to improve your home’s air quality? Open your windows more often. Windows are designed specifically for air flow. In the modern day however, air conditioning has taken prevalence. The problem is that AC simply recirculates dirty air – not replace it. This is the main reason why home air quality is so poor.

Instead, open up your windows when you’re at home (and the weather allows). Even if you keep them open for an hour or two a day, you’ll notice a big change in breathability.

Note: This won’t completely solve the problem, but it should make things a lot better.

Invest In An Air Purifier

Live in a hot climate and too stuck on your air conditioning? Maybe you have medical issues that make breathing problems more serious? Just tired of waking up being unable to breathe?

The most effective solution is to invest in a quality air purifier. Like your home’s AC unit, purifiers suck in and spit out air. The difference is that instead of just a simply air filter, they use highly-effective HEPA filters. That means getting rid of nearly all airborne particles.

The downside with air purifiers is that they can be expensive. A quality bedroom unit will run $150-$200+. An air purifier for a spacious living room/wing or a small home/apartment can run $500-600+.

The good news is that this typically solves most people’s air quality-related issues within days.

My Final Thoughts

Thanks again for your question Alyssa. I hope this helps you, as well as the rest of you readers. Living with poor home air quality is a health risk, but one we face way too often. Thankfully we don’t have to.

Keep those questions coming in and I’ll keep on answering them!

 

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Practical Tips for Living a Simpler Healthier Life

I’m excited that I finally get to post my first question today, thanks to reader Michelle.

In summary, Michelle messaged me going over a list of personal issues she’s having: weight gain, low energy, and mental sluggishness. She feel’s like the issues are all related to her lifestyle. Also, the fact that she’s recently begun a new job – and based on the information she’s provided, I tend to agree.

The way in which we take care of our body has a huge affect on the way in which it takes care of us. If we’re not giving it the proper energy (food) and making sure it gets the downtime and rest that it needs, it’s going to perform poorly.

If you feel that you have some of these symptoms in common with Michelle, here are a few simply tips that you should follow.

Plan Your Meals Appropriately

I’m not talking about meal prepping or anything like that here – although that isn’t necessarily a bad idea. What I mean is that you need to make sure you’re eating your core meals (and the occasional energy-boosting snack as well) at the right times and in the right amounts.

Dinner shouldn’t always be the largest meal of the day – after all, we don’t really do very much late in the evening. Instead, larger portions of carb-heavy foods should be eaten before you plan on being the most active. For most people this means either at breakfast for a busy morning, or at lunch to prepare for a hectic afternoon.

Stop the Soda

We all know that sugar isn’t good for us, but for most people it’s simply too difficult to stop. One of the easiest steps to take, however, is cutting out soda.

The high amount of sugar and chemicals in soda has a negative effect on our bodies. The levels are figuratively off the charts. Instead, try swapping out your regular soda fix for something for benign such as water, tea, or even a healthy drink like kombucha. You should start to notice a major improvement to weight gain and sluggishness in a matter of weeks.

Monitor Your Sleep Schedule

Not sleeping enough? Maybe you’re sleeping too much? Maybe the quality of sleep you’re getting simply isn’t enough? Everyone is different so it’s important that you learn precisely what you’re body needs.

Start a journal to track your sleep schedule and make notes on how you feel the next day. You’ll quickly be able to spot patterns between the times and amount you’re asleep and how you wake up feeling. By analyzing these patterns, you can build a sleep routine that’s perfect for you.

So to Michelle, and the rest of you suffering similar issues, I hope these tips help. The best part about them is they can all be implemented today. For most, that means seeing improvements faster.

I hope you enjoyed my first question as much as I did answering it! Keep them coming and until next time, thanks again!