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28.10.2024
Brooke Kirshne
Poor indoor air quality has become a big issue in this world. It is caused by many reasons like outside air pollution (toxic gas emissions from cars and industries, deforestation, and many more.). Lower indoor maintenance also affects indoor air quality significantly. During cold and flu season, indoor air quality plays a very important role in individuals' health. If the quality of air is poor during this season then people may face many health and respiratory problems. Following some precautions can effectively improve indoor air quality which will provide lots of benefits.
The season of cold and flu starts in early October and from December to February it's on peak. This health-affecting season can stay up to May which is a long duration. At this time, homeowners should check their indoor air quality to ensure that they can prevent viruses like influenza which is the main reason for flu. The readers will get all the information about colds flu and indoor air quality in this blog. After learning everything the readers can effectively prevent health issues during cold and flu season.
What Is Cold And Flu?
Understanding cold and flu is important to know how they can be prevented. The cold is a type of upper respiratory condition that is contagious (can spread from one person to another). This problem affects the throat, nose, windpipe, and other respiratory organs of the human body. According to research, there are more than 200 varieties of viruses that can cause colds to anyone. The rhinovirus is one of the most common cold viruses. The symptoms of cold can be sneezing, sore throat, runny nose, etc.
The flu is a type of illness which is caused by a virus called influenza. An infected person with this virus shows the same symptoms as a cold such as sore throat, runny nose, etc. but these signs will be more severe than a cold. In cold and flu season, around 20 to 40 million people get infected by the virus influenza. If flu is not treated well then it can cause serious health problems like asthma or other types of lung diseases.
Role Of Indoor Air Quality
The indoor air quality is a very important thing to promote good health and lifestyle. A healthy body’s condition depends on the environment where it breathes. Many people don’t know how important air quality is inside their homes. So by learning the key role of high indoor air quality during cold and flu season, people will try to improve the condition of air in their homes. Here are some of the main advantages of good indoor air quality:
1. Improves Respiratory Health
Respiratory health is very important and during cold winter and flu season, indoor air quality plays a significant role. When the air is clean and free of viruses like influenza and rhinovirus people get a healthy indoor environment to breathe. This helps their body to utilize oxygen properly as a result their respiratory health improves and works efficiently.
2. Increase Sleep Quality
A good indoor environment is essential to promote better sleep quality. Indoor air quality is the main thing that enhances the indoor environment. Better indoor air quality helps to increase the sleep quality of individuals because it is free of airborne particles like dust, dirt, pollen, etc. When these particles are not present in the air, the individuals inside homes get a comfortable environment that enhances sleep quality.
3. Protects From Pathogens
High indoor air quality is important to protect individuals from pathogens. The pathogens are microorganisms that can go airborne and infect people. Individuals who have clean indoor air can effectively be prevented from getting infected by pathogens. So it is very important to have an environment that is full of pure air.
4. Improves Lifespan
According to many studies, clean indoor air helps to increase the lifespan of an individual. This happens because the human body becomes more efficient at consuming oxygen from air which helps internal organs to work properly. The health of the heart, lungs, and brain improves as a result people can expect longer life.
How Poor Indoor Air Quality Affects Health
Poor indoor air quality affects health significantly and during the cold and flu season, this problem can worsen existing health issues also. By learning about the negative effects of poor indoor air quality people become aware of its risks. Here are some of the main health effects caused by poor indoor air quality:
- Worsen Respiratory Conditions: People who have respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) must know that poor indoor air quality can worsen their conditions. In cold and flu season, individuals face difficulty breathing and this issue can become worse if the indoor air is filled with pollutants like dust, pollen, pet dander, etc.
- Triggers Allergy Symptoms: Allergies are very common things and some individuals show very mild allergic symptoms like sneezing, coughing, and runny nose. Poor indoor air quality is filled with airborne allergens like mold spores, pet dander, dust, etc. Exposure to these allergens for a long time can trigger allergic symptoms or may increase the existing allergy.
- Decrease Brain Health: Most people don’t know that poor indoor air quality can decrease brain health. According to NIH (National Institute Of Health), if individuals are exposed to poor air quality then that negatively impacts the brain’s functioning and makes it slow. This issue can lead to problems like depression, neurological disorders, and anxiety.
- Interrupts Sleep Cycle: Poor indoor air quality can interrupt the sleep cycle and this can lead to problems. These problems affect mental and physical health. Airborne irritants like dust mites, pollen, mold spores, etc. when inhaled then they irritate the breathing system as a result sleep gets disrupted. If this happens for a long time then individuals can notice they stay restless and tired.
How To Improve Indoor Air Quality During Cold And Flu Season
Improving indoor air quality during cold and flu season is very important. This will help to protect individuals from getting infected by viruses like rhinovirus and influenza. By following some tips people can easily increase the quality of air in their homes and stay healthy. So here are some of the important things that anyone can do to improve indoor air quality:
1. Use Air Purifiers And HVAC Filters
Using air purifiers and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioner) air filters is one of the best ways to improve indoor air quality. An air purifier is a device that pulls all of the polluted air from the indoor environment and then the air passes through layers of different filters. In this process, all of the airborne contaminants like viruses and bacteria are removed. This helps to create an indoor environment filled with clean air. On the other hand, HVAC filters are placed inside the filter slot of an HVAC system. When the system pulls air the air passes through the filter and the air gets purified.
2. Improve Ventilation
Proper ventilation is important because it helps to provide fresh air inside a home. Poor ventilation increases the risk of getting respiratory infections like cold and flu. The bacteria and viruses inside a house move to the outside if ventilation is efficient. To improve ventilation naturally, individuals can open their windows from time to time so fresh air can get inside their houses. People can set their mechanical ventilation to 100% capacity to make sure that their home is filled with fresh air.
3. Frequently Clean Indoor Space
Many people forget to clean their indoor space on a regular basis. This leads to the accumulation of bacteria and viruses in their indoor environment. During cold and flu season it is very important to keep a clean indoor space to prevent any health problems. Individuals should clean their homes at least once a week and by doing this the number of contaminants will decrease as a result this will help to prevent colds and flu and promote good health.
4. Use Humidifier
Using a humidifier to add moisture to the house helps to prevent viruses and bacteria during cold and flu season. This device increases the level of moisture in indoor environments which are airborne viruses heavy as a result they can’t float on air. Infected people can also get relief because a humid environment helps to lose mucus which is caused by cold or flu. Individuals should follow the instructions that come with their humidifier. This will help to use this device effectively.
5. Control Indoor Temperature
During the winter season, the immunity of the human body decreases because of the temperature drop. This is the reason the winter season is also known as cold and flu season. People can get respiratory infections easily during this season. So it is important to control indoor environment temperature to prevent getting infected from viruses like influenza. A high indoor temperature during winter helps to provide a comfortable living space as well as protects against illnesses.
Conclusion
The cold and flu season is one of those things that everyone faces their whole life. At this time the body's immunity starts declining because of a fall in temperature. Due to this, the chance of getting an infection increases a lot. Indoor air quality plays a crucial role in this situation. Prior indoor air quality can cause problems like respiratory issues, decreased brain health, interrupted sleep cycle, and many more. High indoor air quality helps to improve respiratory health, increases sleep quality, improves lifespan, etc. This helps to keep the immune system strong as the possibility of getting illness during winter decreases.
There are many things that individuals can follow to improve their indoor air quality. Using an air purifier or HVAC filter, improving ventilation, and controlling indoor temperature are some of the main things that anyone can do to improve indoor air quality. HVAC air filters can help improve the quality of indoor air efficiently. If you are looking for an air filter for your HVAC system then Custom Filters Direct is the best place for you. We are known for providing customized air filters to our clients that satisfy their air filtration needs. For more information call us at (877) 556-2862.
