The air is stuffy, and you notice your ability to concentrate is getting harder and harder. Taking a deep breath would be your reflex, but even that doesn't seem to help.
There's a lack of oxygen! When we get little oxygen in enclosed spaces, our performance slumps. However, this can be prevented with very simple means.
Table of contents
1. Lack of oxygen or excess of carbon dioxide?
Without oxygen, absolutely nothing works in our bodies. Every single cell needs this vital fuel to function. Along with water, oxygen is the absolute foundation of the organism . Without O2, there is no metabolism.
The brain , in particular, relies on a sufficient supply of this valuable gas. Without oxygen, we become unconscious after about 12 seconds , and after just a few minutes, even brain cells die. No wonder some people wander the hallways like zombies after a long day at the office.
Often, the problem isn't a lack of oxygen, but rather an excess of CO2. The oxygen content of the air actually remains fairly constant, even over several days. What can change rapidly, however, is the CO2 content. Normally, the air contains about 21 percent oxygen and only 0.04 percent carbon dioxide.
This balance is severely disrupted if no fresh air is supplied for an extended period. With every exhalation, we breathe even more carbon dioxide into the room, so the CO2 concentration constantly increases.
And the more CO2 the air contains, the more we breathe in this substance, which is actually a waste product of our metabolism. This puts stress on the body and negatively impacts performance.
Take-home message #1: It is not the lack of oxygen that is the problem, but the increasing CO2 content in the room air.
2. How important is oxygen for sleep?
During sleep, the body regenerates and processes the exertions and events of the day . The metabolism slows down and enters rest mode, blood pressure drops, and body temperature drops.
Nevertheless, during sleep, the body recharges, stores thoughts and learned information, deletes unimportant data from the hard drive, and gives the muscles their well-deserved rest. Furthermore, the immune system recovers and strengthens itself to defend itself against all kinds of invaders.
Therefore, the air quality in your bedroom has a huge impact on whether you can utilize your full regenerative potential while you sleep or whether your body is just running on low power. The air in your room should contain plenty of oxygen and as little carbon dioxide as possible .
A sleeping brain needs just as much oxygen as a waking brain. Since you release CO2 with every breath during your night's sleep , it's important to ensure you have an adequate oxygen supply. If you often wake up with a headache in the morning , it could be due to a lack of oxygen .
It's best to air out your bedroom thoroughly before going to bed , especially if you sleep with the windows closed. A sleep study by TK (Techniker Krankenkasse) showed that six out of ten respondents already take the issue of airing the bedroom very seriously [1].
They air out their bedroom for several minutes every day before going to bed. Green plants also ensure a constant oxygen level in the bedroom. This will keep you well-nourished throughout the night. You'll learn more about this below.
Take-home message #2: Body and mind continue to work at night and therefore need oxygen to regenerate optimally.
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3. Why is oxygen levels in the office important?
No one can concentrate in stuffy air. Everyone has experienced it before: Several people work together all day in a confined space, with the heating on full blast in winter and the air conditioning on in summer. Oxygen? None.
The more people in a room absorb oxygen from the air with each breath, the faster it is used up . At the same time, all these people are constantly exhaling CO2.
The result: Above a certain CO2 level, performance plummets and fatigue increases . At the same time, headaches often occur, which further impair your concentration .
The first step out of the office after work feels like a liberation. The lungs finally get enough fresh air, and the brain is supplied with oxygen again.
That's why a short walk during your lunch break is considered a true miracle cure for concentration . But why is that? Why does a lack of oxygen – or excess CO2 – have such a negative effect on concentration?
If the air contains too high a concentration of CO2, the blood vessels begin to dilate, attempting to absorb more oxygen to optimally supply the organs and brain.
This process makes you tired, and you feel increasingly weak. However, as soon as you breathe fresh air again, the blood vessels constrict, allowing the oxygen-enriched blood to flow into the smallest capillaries again.
Furthermore, the increasing CO2 content interferes with the actual purpose of breathing. The goal is to get rid of as much CO2 as possible with each exhalation. If you then increasingly absorb new CO2 with each inhalation, your body simply can't keep up with breaking down the waste product.
Take-Home Message #3: Lots of people – lots of CO2. Especially in offices, the carbon dioxide content of the air rises rapidly and causes concentration problems.
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4. Why is ventilation so important?
If you've read about the negative effects of oxygen deprivation on sleep and concentration, you can already answer the question yourself: Because you need oxygen. Nowadays, we humans spend over 90 percent of our time indoors , where the CO2 content increases with every exhalation. Yet rescue is waiting 24/7 right outside your window; you just have to open it!
When you ventilate, not only does new oxygen flow into the room, but the CO2 content in the air also decreases and returns to normal levels. However, this doesn't just happen from opening a window briefly. To fill the entire room with fresh air, you should ventilate for at least 10 minutes .
Chillies who always feel cold when airing out or fear drafts should simply put on something warm while airing out. Ten minutes of cool air is far less damaging than depriving your body and mind of oxygen all day. To keep your concentration consistently high, it's best to air out thoroughly once every hour.
The regular supply of fresh air has another effect on the indoor climate : the humidity level is balanced , which can prevent the formation of mold .
Moldy corners in the bedroom or office have a negative impact on your health. It's better to spend a few minutes with the window open than to breathe in pests.
Take-Home Message #4: Ventilation balances the CO2 content of the air and brings fresh oxygen into the room. Only a balanced O2/CO2 ratio ensures optimal sleep and concentration.
5. The plant – your best friend and oxygen supplier
Creating a pleasant indoor climate with sufficient oxygen is incredibly simple: Buy a plant , water it every few days, and your life will change. Plants purify the air , removing dust particles and chemicals. In doing so, they release moisture into the air, which our mucous membranes in the respiratory tract appreciate.
They also utilize CO2 during photosynthesis , converting it into O2 . This has a dual effect: the waste product we exhale with every breath is broken down, while simultaneously providing us with the oxygen we need to survive. The result: The oxygen content of the air remains constant.
This will help you concentrate better at the office and deliver the mental performance you expect of yourself. A pretty little plant in your bedroom will also provide optimal support for your body during rest periods, and you'll wake up the next morning feeling reborn—or at least well-rested and regenerated.
NASA even investigated the importance of plants for the indoor climate in its large-scale Clean Air Study [2]. The recommendation is to have one plant per 9 square meters of space . Depending on the size of the bedroom or office, a few more green roommates may be appropriate to ensure optimal air balance.
Particularly effective oxygen providers are snake plants , peace lilies , and aloe vera . In the office, plants can have large leaves and be tall; in the bedroom, plants that exude a certain visual calm and have soft curves are suitable.
However, since plants themselves switch to CO2 production in the dark, you shouldn't turn your bedroom into a jungle. Two or three plants, on the other hand, wonderfully improve the indoor climate and balance the humidity.
The positive effect of plants on productivity in offices was investigated in a study conducted in the Netherlands and Great Britain [3]. It was shown that employees in spaces with greenery were significantly more focused and delivered better results than those in offices without plants.
Take-Home Message #5: Green plants purify the air, convert CO2 into O2, and balance humidity. Plants should be in every room, as they promote sleep and concentration.
6. Conclusion
A lack of oxygen or an excess of CO2 in enclosed spaces can make you tired and unfocused. Headaches can also result. Regular ventilation and the placement of plants in the room can help balance the CO2 levels.
7. Sources
[1] https://www.tk.de/centaurus/servlet/contentblob/962472/Datei/79442/TK-Schlafstudie-2017-Studienband.pdf
[2] https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19930073077.pdf
[3] http://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-30837-001
