The Impact Of Indoor Air On Your Mental Health

Indoor air quality has been quoted as one of the most harmful silent killers.

According to the WHO, polluted air is responsible for 7 million deaths every year.

Countless studies connect air pollution with neurovascular, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases. The indoor air you breathe could contain up to 5 times more pollutants than the outdoor.

Unfortunately, most people fail to consider the true danger of indoor air quality because pollutants are often invisible to the naked eye. Nevertheless, their health impact has been documented. 

The WHO has also taken the initiative to monitor how the air quality inside your home could affect your mental health. The result is troubling: Studies have highlighted a link between the concentration in particulate matter in the air and the likelihood of having a mental illness, including depression. The rate of depression doubles with poor air quality. So it becomes crucial to tackle the risks inside your home. 

Prevent Damp

High humidity and damp increases the rate of harmful particles in the air. Mold, bacteria, and viruses that cause respiratory infections can thrive in moist environments and wet walls. In the worst cases, this can also become a breeding ground for the type of uninvited guests that exterminators in PA frequently have to deal with. Pest control should start with ensuring that humidity and damp levels are at a level to not encourage their presence or growth.
 
Ventilation helps regulate moisture in your home in addition to renewing the air. Moisture is encouraged to leave the home, especially in dry warm weather.
 
In addition, your roof should be in good condition to prevent water from entering as a result of normal rainfall. This may mean getting a company like Clean Pro Gutter Cleaning Staten Island to ensure water is draining away from the roof correctly.
 
It’s imperative to get any leak dried and treated as soon as possible to prevent damp. Homes that begin growing mold in the walls can create a constant source of air pollution and can be difficult to treat afterwards.

Ventilate to renew your air

It’s an easy equation. How can you get rid of the toxic particles in the air? Simple, you change the air.

German households tend to ventilate their house once a day by opening all windows for one hour. It’s the ideal way to let go of the “dirty” air and replace it with new, fresh air.

You can also add filtering solutions inside your home. If you are using an ac system, it’s a good idea to keep up to date with maintenance and servicing appointments. Don’t delay any fixes. It’s best to pay for emergency ac repair than to keep a faulty AC unit.

Another essential to remember: The air filter inside your AC unit should be changed regularly. Experts recommend quarterly replacement if you have pets. 

Review your habits

Could your habits encourage the presence of toxic particles inside your home? The answer is yes, and most people don’t realize how much is in their power.

For instance, if you are a regular smoker, you could be bringing a lot of toxins to your interior, even if you choose to smoke outside. Tobacco particulates can stick to your clothes and hair. This only should help motivate you to quit your harmful habit! Indeed, smoking can drive depression as it affects your air quality. 

What other everyday habits should you be wary of? Makeup enthusiasts need to be careful about their choice of makeup and nail polish removal products, as highly chemical substances will create VOCs.

Enthusiastic cooks also need to improve their kitchen ventilation to reduce the presence of volatile compounds they generate. 

Consider pollutants you bring indoor

It’s important to understand that VOCs can be both human-made or bought. There are a lot of home items and objects that could be harmful to your indoor air quality, even if they look harmless.

Did you know you could find VOCs in most household items, such as paint, cleaning products, and even UF pressed wood furniture? It can be helpful to educate yourself on the most common compounds so you can gradually clear your home from these. 

Can you trust your indoor air to be as clear as it appears? The answer is no, you shouldn’t. You need to be familiar with some of the risks inside your home to become more proactive about indoor air quality.

Clear air can promote a clear mind. Your mental health does deserve all the attention it can get, and if it means filtering pollutants, and an air filter device is a small price to pay.