Getting in shape is always a part of your new year’s resolutions. It’s one of the steps to staying healthy, however, when the indoor air quality in the gym or your workout area is poor, working out can come with its own health hazards.
Do you ever feel that the air in the gym feels quite stuffy? That might be because of the air pollutants trapped in the enclosed room. When you do your exercise, your breathing rate increases, which can cause you to breathe in more air pollutants than usual. Fortunately, there are now techniques to protect yourself from air pollution and improve indoor air quality in your workout area.
What Causes Poor Air Quality in the Gym
When you start working out, you also pay extra attention to your health such as the foods you eat, your water intake, your sleep hours, and your daily activities. However, you might be missing out on an important factor that’s probably affecting your health: avoiding exposure to air pollution.
Here’s a list of factors affecting the air quality in your workout area:
- Emissions from vehicles and industrial sources
- Off-gassing from furniture and building materials
- Open fires, second-hand smoke, cooking
- HVAC systems
- Household cleaning and maintenance products
- Allergens: dust, pet dander, mold spores, etc.
These air pollutants are made up of particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds that are harmful to our health.
How Does Pollution Impacts Health and Exercise
When the NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality Standards) was created in 1970, people were only worried about the effects of air pollutants on human respiratory health. However, in recent studies, it has been found that it is also linked to other health effects such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, skin problems, and many more.
In a literature review in 1986 by researchers, they have found that at the Olympic level, the air quality was a factor of how well the athletes will perform. Since physical activities increase your breathing and airflow velocity, you are more prone to the following effects of air pollutants:
- Irritation in the respiratory system such as coughing, watery eyes, sore throat, and runny nose.
- It can also worsen other respiratory conditions including asthma.
- Susceptible to developing bronchitis and other respiratory infections.
- Dizziness and decreased cognitive function.
Being physically fit doesn’t always mean you’re healthy. If you want to truly achieve your goal of living a healthy life, breathing in clean air must be on your list.
How to Improve the Air Quality When You Exercise
Here are some tips from the experts to reduce indoor air pollution for a safer indoor exercise.
- Prohibit indoor smoking, scented candles, air fresheners, aerosol sprays, and incense. It would help to designate a smoking or a vaping area outdoors. The combustion from these activities adds up to the harmful air particles.
- Choose cleaning products that have no or low VOC.
- Store in a separate room the sources of air pollution including paint cans.
- Have a good quality air filtration system or air purifier in the room. It can help increase the air circulation inside while also capturing harmful air pollutants. Take note to purchase only from trusted brands as some air purifiers, instead of playing their true purpose, can even worsen the indoor air quality.
Stay healthy inside and out. Get a high-quality and reliable air filtration system or air purifiers for better indoor air quality. If you’re looking for a partner for your air filtration needs, get in touch with us.
