If you have a chronic disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, or sleep apnea, increasing the oxygen in your home can help relieve symptoms. Moreover, by promoting air circulation and eliminating the presence of pollutants in the home, even the healthiest people can benefit. Depending on the needs and objectives, it is possible to increase the oxygen level in a home by inserting plants, other natural elements and improving the ventilation system. In case of particular physical ailments, the doctor may prescribe the use of special medical devices.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Air the House
Step 1. Open the windows
You will likely spend a lot of time indoors, especially in the winter. Open a window to facilitate the entry of fresh, more oxygenated air. To increase circulation in hot weather, open two windows on opposite sides of the house. Try opening them for a few minutes 3 times a day even during the winter.
- If you live in a cold or polluted area and don't want to open windows often, then only do so when moisture builds up inside. Keep the kitchen one open when you turn on the stove in the evening or the bathroom one when you shower, so you will avoid water vapor accumulating in the house.
- If you suffer from spring allergies, you can buy mosquito nets that filter the pollen produced by birch trees, ragweed and meadow flowers, in order to promote air circulation in your home and reduce the risk of allergic reactions. In these cases, also pay attention to how much pollen is outside to understand how often you can open the windows and when you should be more cautious.
Step 2. Close the furniture
When you open doors or windows to ventilate your home, close the doors of closets, pantries and other closable furniture. In this way, you will favor the entry of oxygen into all the rooms without the air finding obstacles.
Step 3. Install vacuum cleaners
Install an extractor hood on the stove and an extractor fan in the bathroom if you haven't done so yet. They will suck up the humidity and bad smells present in the house, helping to improve the exchange of air in indoor environments.
Make sure you clean the fans every couple of months with lukewarm water and a degreasing solution, especially those on your installed kitchen extractor. Clean these appliances as often as recommended in the supplied manual
Step 4. Buy an air filter
Go to a hardware store or mall or buy it online. On the market, there are various filters that can purify the air and increase the oxygen inside the home. Choose one that suits your needs by considering the following:
- The amount you want to spend, even if it is worth investing in quality;
- The MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) standard that the higher it is, the better the quality of the air filter.
- User reviews to get an idea of how efficient and how often it should be replaced.
Method 2 of 3: Adopt Natural Methods
Step 1. Place some plants in the house
Fill your home with houseplants to purify the air and increase the oxygen inside. If spaces are tight, place them in the rooms you enter most often, such as the bedroom and kitchen. If you have pets, do some research online before buying them to make sure they are not toxic. All plants allow you to oxygenate your home, but the following are the most suitable:
- Aloe;
- Common ivy;
- Rubber tree;
- Spatafillo;
- Philodendron;
- Mother-in-law's tongue;
- Phalangium;
- Dracaena marginata;
- Potos.
Step 2. Buy a salt lamp
While it hasn't been scientifically proven, some believe that lamps made with pink Himalayan salt help purify the air. They also emit a nice pink light. They probably don't generate enough negative ions to change the quality of their environment, but they can help remove some of the surrounding toxins.
Step 3. Use beeswax compound candles
Candles made of beeswax do not release smoke when lit and no chemicals as they are consumed. Similar to salt lamps, they do not produce enough ions to totally purify the surrounding air. However, they can be a healthy substitute for regular paraffin candles, which usually release pollutants into the environment. You can buy them at an organic food store or on the Internet.
Never leave candles unattended when they are lit
Method 3 of 3: Use Some Devices
Step 1. Use a portable oxygen cylinder
You can get oxygen in the form of lightweight, easy-to-carry units around the house. Ask your doctor if he can prescribe you an oxygen cylinder. You will need to undergo some lung function tests to find the right amount of oxygen. Place the small nasal cannula inside the nostrils to take in oxygen from the source where it is contained.
- Home oxygen therapy should be performed with caution, especially in the case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Always follow the instructions given by your doctor.
- Always respect safety measures when using oxygen: do not smoke, do not use any heat sources and do not bring flames to oxygen containers.
- Depending on your symptoms and doctor's recommendations, you may need oxygen all the time or only when you are exercising and sleeping. Intake or administration should be closely monitored at all times while the cylinder is in use.
- These medical devices are intended only for people with certain diseases. Check with your doctor to find out if the options suggested so far are right for your health condition.
Step 2. Obtain liquid or gaseous medical oxygen for home use
If you only need a high flow of oxygen when you are indoors, get liquid or gaseous oxygen from a reputable supplier. Ask your doctor to help you choose the type that best suits your needs. You can use it at home in the form of gas, compressed inside a cylinder, or in a liquid state.
Liquid oxygen is easier to carry, but the cylinder doesn't last long
Step 3. Buy an oxygen concentrator
It plugs into the electrical outlet and continuously filters the oxygen present in the surrounding environment, delivering it through a face mask or nasal cannula. It is a great choice if you need a high amount of concentrated oxygen when you are at home because you have a chronic illness. Your doctor will be able to suggest an efficient machine and a nurse will set it up and show you how to use it.
