Oxygen is essential for many vital functions within the body. In fact, without oxygen we die! But even low levels of oxygen can cause problems, while high levels can improve our health.
Getting enough oxygen during sleep can be especially difficult as our breathing patterns change while we sleep and we don't know it. We may also sleep in positions that compress the lungs, creating breathing problems that do not occur during the day.
What are the 10 things you should do to increase the oxygen levels in your body
1. Quality food
Adopt
healthy eating habits ! Choose iron-rich foods such as red meat, shellfish, lentils, dark chocolate and dark green leafy vegetables.
Also, low vitamin D levels have been linked to blood oxygen levels, so make sure you get enough vitamin D by eating egg yolks, fatty fish and red meat. Spending time outdoors is also extremely important for vitamin D levels, as vitamin D is formed when your skin is exposed to sunlight.
2. Exercise
Exercise helps improve lung and heart function. The heart is important as it is what pumps blood and therefore oxygen around your body.
3. Get fresh air
During the day, try to take at least one walk (or jog) in a place with excellent air quality, such as a nearby park or beach. If you live in the city, you can also consider going for a walk in the countryside or hiking once a week. This way you combine cardio with fresh air and you can supplement your vitamin D with sun exposure (and yes, this works on a cloudy day too)!
4. Improve the air quality in your home
At night, keep your window open if you live in rural areas or use an air purifier that has been proven to work. Of course, you can do it during the day too! You can also keep houseplants in your bedroom which are known to help produce oxygen (and remove toxins!).
5. Sleep on your side
If you sleep on your back, your breathing can become restricted as your lungs are pressed down.
To improve your breathing during the night, simply sleep on your side (unless there is some other health issue that prevents you from doing so).
6. Avoid alcohol
Alcohol will relax your throat muscles, which in turn can cause snoring and/or sleep apnea.
7. Get enough sleep
Excessive fatigue can also cause the neck muscles to relax more than normal when you sleep and cause sleep apnea and/or snoring. So try to sleep at regular times and get enough sleep to be active during the day.
8. Stop smoking
If you smoke, your lungs are probably already functioning at a reduced capacity and you are much more prone to various lung diseases.
9. Lots of water
Drinking water (or cold juices, decaffeinated herbal teas, coconut water, etc.) will help you maintain adequate hydration levels. And just like the rest of your body, the lungs need to be hydrated to function well.
10. Do breathing exercises
Breathing is such an unconscious thing that it can be strange to even think that there is a "right way" to breathe, but there is! And it can help you get more oxygen. Usually, this involves slowing down your breathing, as we tend to breathe too quickly.
Article originally written for TerryCralle , official sleep information portal of Terry Cralle, Certified Nurse Practitioner & Sleep Clinician
