While many of our body’s functions are automatic, sometimes we rely too much on our system so as to actively use our natural abilities to the fullest. Breathing is one such ability that we often downplay.
Yes, we breathe casually without even thinking, but sometimes improper breathing techniques can negatively affect our health, and subsequently our cognition as well. The same is true if we live and work in spaces that are not properly ventilated.
A study published on ScienceNews.Org shows that when carbon dioxide levels in a closed space rise, the individuals inside the space lose their ability to make sound judgments. Fascinating, isn’t it?
And yet this is the theme of our blog. If on any occasion you felt it hard to think clearly and make a random decision, it was maybe because you were standing in a poorly ventilated space, or that you were not breathing properly.
Hence, in order to become sharper at making random decisions, here are a few tips on how you can improve your breathing and also curb the influx of CO2 in your room:
Enhance Breathing
The human body is nothing less than a miracle. You can actually increase the amount of air taken by your lungs and how efficiently they capture oxygen. One of the best tips in this regard is to breathe deeply while in a meditative state.
Go to your room and wear comfortable clothing. Relax and sit up straight on a chair or cross-legged on the ground. In any case, you need to keep your upper body straight.
Now close your eyes, and breathe in through your nose. Feel the air fill your lungs, but make sure that you stop at a certain point instead of filling up completely. Next, exhale completely, and make sure that no air is left in the lungs. This will ensure that you will allow your lungs to inhale more air the next time. Practice this daily, and you will see your lung capacity improving.
Improving Ventilation
To begin with, check the height of your door. Many doors have a gap (usually half-inch or three-quarter-inch from the ground), which ensures that airflow doesn’t stop completely when the door is closed. So, if you are planning to install a new door, bring it up to the required height with the help of spacers. That way, you can enjoy ventilation while maintaining privacy.
Finally, watch out for signs of dampness. If the room you usually work or stay in feels damper than usual, you should try to spot condensation issues. What people usually do to remove the dampness is to either increase the heat in the room or use a dehumidifier to reduce humidity. What you should do instead is to fix a draft that is coming in the room from a window that is not sealed properly.
And while you may think that plants are great for enhancing your mental state, make sure that you should only have plants proportionate to the size of the room, otherwise there is a threat of CO2 levels rising.