The Hidden Health Effects of Poor Sleep – and How Cleaner Air Can Improve Your Nights
Ensuring that you get good quality sleep is one of the most vital ways to protect your health and wellbeing, but it isn’t always easy, and if you struggle to sleep, it can feel even worse if you start worrying about the impact on your health! Don’t despair, there are many ways to improve the quality of the rest you get every night, and we can help you to find solutions that work for you and your lifestyle.
Many people struggle to sleep due to stress and daily habits, but did you know that your environment could have a big impact as well? People often worry about environmental pollutants, but most associate this with outdoor air rather than the air inside the home. However, indoor air can be compromised by allergens and irritants, and this can have a serious impact on your respiratory health and quality of sleep. Let’s take a look at how the air in your bedroom could be affecting your sleep, and find out what you can do to fix it.
Why Do We Need Sleep?
Sleep is essential to us as human beings, and it supports vital processes such as cell repair, hormone regulation and memory processing. We need a good amount of sleep that incorporates all of the different sleep stages in order to keep our immune, digestive and cardiovascular systems functioning properly, and we can experience several health complications if our sleep is disturbed or disrupted.
In the short term, poor sleep can lead to reduced concentration, higher stress levels and a compromised immune system, and in the longer term, it is associated with weight gain and chronic illnesses. Sleep deprivation was historically used as a form of torture, and this is because it interrupts so many of the essential processes in the body! Good health requires good sleep, and creating an optimum sleeping environment is an important way to protect your general well-being.
Your Ideal Sleeping Environment
The environment you sleep in can affect the quality of your sleep, and it is important to get details such as the temperature and the light right in order to feel comfortable. However, it is also important to consider the quality of the air you will be breathing in all night long. The air in your bedroom may contain dust mites, pet hair, mould spores or other pollutants, including cleaning chemicals, and poor ventilation can exacerbate the problem.
The humidity in your indoor environment is a key consideration, and you may find that a dehumidifier or air purifier is the best solution for your bedroom. Opening windows and using ventilation systems during the day can be very helpful, but these are often not sufficient to improve the quality of the air at nighttime. Air quality is particularly important while you are sleeping, because blocked or irritated airways can disrupt sleep significantly.
How Does Air Quality Disrupt Sleep?
Many things can impact the quality of your sleep, including:
• Congestion. The nasal passages often become congested when the air contains a lot of allergens and dust, and this can make breathing more difficult. Often, people with blocked noses breathe through their mouths, and this can also lead to a dry, irritated throat.
• Coughing. A dry atmosphere or irritants in the air can cause coughing at night, and this can be very disruptive to sleep. An irritated, painful throat can have the same effect, and this can prevent people from entering the deeper stages of sleep.
• Snoring. If your airways are irritated or your nasal passages are blocked, you are more likely to snore while you are asleep. This can lead to lighter sleep and intermittent waking, which disturbs the natural cycles of sleep.
• Sneezing. If you have allergies, you are much more likely to experience symptoms such as sneezing and a runny nose that can keep you awake at night. These symptoms may be worse at certain times of the year.
What Can I Do?
Improving the indoor air in your home, and specifically your bedroom, does not have to be complicated, and many simple changes can help. We recommend:
• Washing bedding regularly. You should wash all bedding and pillows on a weekly basis to eliminate dust mites and particles, and you can also pop soft toys into the freezer overnight to ensure that they are not harbouring dust mites.
• Vacuum often. Vacuuming is the best way to keep carpets and other soft surfaces like mattresses free of dust mites and other irritants. A vacuum cleaner with HEPA filters can be very useful in keeping your indoor environment clean.
• Ventilate your space. It is important to open windows in the daytime and leave vents open for air circulation wherever possible, as this can help to maintain fresh air.
• Pay attention to products. The products you use in your home – particularly cleaning, health and beauty products – can contain chemicals that can irritate the respiratory system and cause irritation. Check labels carefully and try to use chemical-free options wherever you can.
• Address humidity. If you have any damp areas in your home, you should aim to address these to reduce damage to your property and your health. You may find that a dehumidifier or air purifier can help to restore a balanced environment in your home.
Salin Plus Air Purifier
The Salin Plus Air Purifier is ideal for use in the bedroom because it is a quiet, non-invasive system that purifies the air around you while you sleep. It uses natural salt crystals to purify the air and remove allergens, and it can help to soothe the respiratory system, especially for adults and children with chronic and long term respiratory conditions.
The Salin Plus Air Purifier is ideal for those who have asthma, COPD or allergy symptoms, and long-term use is ideal. Daily exposure of at least 6-8 hours is ideal, so the device can be used overnight for the best results. Salin Plus is highly recommended and can enable more restorative sleep and easier breathing. Many people report reduced congestion and deeper sleep, and this is extremely beneficial to health and well-being.
Look After Your Health at WonderCare
At WonderCare, we know that the little things can make a big difference, and simply changing the environment you sleep in can significantly improve your health. Our experienced team can help you with your health concerns and offer dietary and lifestyle advice whenever you need it. We have a good selection of healthcare products available online and in store, and we have a wide range of skincare, hair and beauty products for all ages and skin types.
We can help you to find the solutions you need for yourself and your family, and we have an extensive collection of gifts for you to choose from. You can order from our website for delivery to your door, or order for collection in store. We deliver across Ireland, Northern Ireland and the UK, and we offer free shipping on orders over €40. Alternatively, you can pop in and see us in store and meet our friendly team!
