Better Breathing, Better Brain

Were you ever in a room that was poorly ventilated and you started to feel sleepy, you could not concentrate anymore? Let’s see what happens and why oxygen and pure air are so important for our mental health.

Oxygen is the only component of the air we breathe capable of supporting life. The air is composed of approximately 21% oxygen. The minimum oxygen concentration in the air required for human breathing is 19.5 percent. Oxygen is breathed into the lungs and from there it is transported by the red blood cells to the other parts of the body. Each cell needs oxygen in order to function. When the oxygen levels drop outside the safe zone, the consequences are very serious. When one engages in physical activity and the oxygen concentrations drop from 19.5 to 16 percent the cells fail to receive the oxygen needed to function correctly. When oxygen levels drop somewhere between 14 and 10% mental functions become impaired and respiration intermittent; at these levels with any amount of physical activity, the body becomes exhausted. Humans won't survive with levels at 6 percent or lower.

Oxygen levels are not the only important aspect when it comes to our health. Air pollution is equally important. Air pollution can have serious consequences on our physical and psychological well-being.

Air pollution can create respiratory diseases, cardiovascular damage, fatigue, headaches and anxiety, irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, damage to reproductive organs, harm to the liver, spleen, and blood, and nervous system damage.

Besides oxygen and the absence of pollutants that are important in order to have fresh air, ionization is another important factor in the equation.

Positively charged ions have been demonstrated to have a negative effect on your body when you are exposed to them in excess.

This is particularly the case with your lungs and respiratory tract but your immune system can also be affected. This is because positive ions are so small they can be absorbed directly into your bloodstream from the air you breathe.

In nature, positive ions are commonly formed by high winds, dust, humidity, and pollution. They are at their highest levels just before a storm. An excess of positively charged ions in your environment will lead to tiredness and a lack of energy, tension, anxiety, and irritability. Positive ions are a contributing factor to asthma and depression.

Unfortunately, our homes and workplaces have also become chronic generators of potentially harmful positive ions. Office air-conditioning systems, fluorescent lights, televisions, clothes dryers, carpets, curtains and upholstery, hair dryers, electrical and computer equipment, especially printers and photocopiers are all potent positive ion generators.

Negatively charged ions are the opposite of positive ions and they have directly the opposite effect on your health, mood, and energy levels.

In the natural world, negative ions are in abundance, particularly in forests, at the beach, and most intensely near waterfalls. The atmosphere is also charged with negative ions after the rain or storm. That is why you usually feel so great in these places and find it difficult to be tired or depressed.

The most powerful demonstration of the energizing and refreshing effects of negatively charged ions can be tasted in the air after a thunderstorm.

Research shows that negatively charged ions neutralize free radicals, revitalize cell metabolism, enhance immune function, purify the blood, and balance the autonomic nervous system, promoting deep sleep and healthy digestion.

Living in the countryside, far away from the city pollution, where the ions are negatively charged, can help those struggling with asthma, hay fever, depression, seasonal affective disorder, and insomnia.

Negative ion atmospheric loading has been reported to affect a range of psychological functions, from alertness to circadian rhythms, and has been suggested to benefit a variety of medical conditions, from allergies to migraine. In a double-blind study planned to assess the effect of negative ions on cognitive performance in human volunteers, 65 female graduate course students were randomized into ionized atmosphere and control groups. The following cognitive tasks were administered: Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Addition Test, Visual Memory (Complex Figure) Test, Verbal Memory (Complex Passage) Test, Ideational Fluency Test, and Clerical Speed and Accuracy test. On all but the last two tests, the negative ion group performed significantly better (to a 15-40% extent) than the controls. It is concluded that negative ionization of the atmosphere by artificial means may be of benefit in a certain common, practical situation in which depletion of these ions occurs.

Besides all these things that we have talked about, there is something else that is very important - the way we breathe. Unfortunately, a lot of people do not breathe deeply. Shallow breathing leads to fatigue, exhaustion, anemia, and depression. Shallow breathing denies our bodies the optimal levels of oxygen needed for our bodies. Deep breathing involves using the diaphragm. To check if you are using the diaphragm you can lie down, put a book on your stomach and breathe. When the abdomen needs to go up and down each time you breathe in and out, it means that you are using your diaphragm. Tight clothing will hinder proper breathing. Body posture is also very important. Sitting or standing straight is important for good breathing.

Sometimes it is the little things that matter. Making sure that you breathe deep, that you have a good posture, and that the air you breathe is pure, unpolluted charged with negatively charged ions can make a big difference in your life and health. So, why not take a break right now and take a few deep breaths? Your body cells will be thankful!