The Impact of Indoor Air Quality on Sleep Health in Frederick, MD

The benefits of a good night’s sleep range from a better mood and more energy during the day to improved immune health and memory. But if your indoor air is unfit to breathe, you’ll be less likely to sleep well and more likely to suffer other health hazards to boot. Here are some ways indoor air quality (IAQ) can affect your sleep in Frederick, MD, and how cleaning it will ultimately improve your ability to rest soundly.

Triggering Allergies

Dust, pollen, pet dander, and other pollutants can all trigger allergy symptoms like coughing, sneezing, and itchy eyes. If you sleep in a low IAQ environment, these symptoms, if you have them, will continue and may get worse. Dealing with such things while sleeping increases the likelihood of waking up irritated during the night. It also likely means that you’ll have a harder time falling asleep in the first place.

IAQ Generally Decreases at Night

IAQ typically declines at night, and there are a few reasons for this. First, when you sleep, you generally do it with the door and windows closed, which decreases air circulation throughout your bedroom. If you prefer sleeping in a warmer environment, this may dry out the air. An air humidifier is a great way to deal with the latter problem.

Developing Sleep Apnea

One serious consequence of sleeping in a low IAQ environment is that you may develop sleep apnea over time. Sleep apnea is a condition where you repeatedly stop breathing during sleep. If the air you breathe while sleeping is sufficiently polluted, your airways will become inflamed and irritated, which may lead to this condition after enough time passes.

At a minimum, sleep apnea will break up your breathing patterns during the night. Consequences could potentially be much worse, however. That’s why it’s helpful to have devices like air scrubbers around to keep the air as clean as possible when you sleep and potentially decrease the severity of your symptoms.

To make sure you have the cleanest supply of air possible, call Eric Smock Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. today and take advantage of our many IAQ products and services.

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