The Importance of Bedroom Air Quality for a Good Night's Sleep and Better Performance
Do you ever wake up feeling tired, despite spending 8 hours in bed? You may want to take a closer look at the air quality in your bedroom. A recent study by Strøm-Tejsen, Zukowska, Wargocki, and Wyon explored the impact of bedroom air quality on sleep and next-day performance. The findings reveal that poor air quality in the bedroom can seriously affect our sleep quality and mental performance.
The study was conducted in single-occupancy student dormitory rooms where the participants, half of them women, were free to adjust an electric heater to maintain thermal comfort. However, they were subjected to two different bedroom ventilation conditions, each maintained for a week, in a balanced order. In the first experiment (14 participants), bedroom ventilation was changed by opening a window, leading to an average CO2 level of 2585 or 660 ppm. In the second experiment (16 participants), an inaudible fan in the air intake vent was either disabled or operated when CO2 levels exceeded 900 ppm, resulting in an average CO2 level of 2395 or 835 ppm.
The researchers found that the quality of sleep and the perceived freshness of the bedroom air improved significantly when the CO2 level was lower. This was confirmed by objective measurements of sleep quality obtained from movement data recorded on wristwatch-type actigraphs and subjective reports obtained from online questionnaires each morning. The subjects also reported lower levels of sleepiness and improved ability to concentrate and perform logical thinking tasks.
These findings highlight the crucial role that air quality plays in ensuring a good night's sleep and better performance the next day. Poor air quality can lead to elevated CO2 levels, which can have a detrimental impact on our sleep and mental performance. Therefore, it's important to take steps to improve the air quality in your bedroom, such as opening a window for ventilation or using an air purifier.
In conclusion, the study by Strøm-Tejsen et al. sheds light on the relationship between bedroom air quality and our sleep and next-day performance. The results suggest that improving the air quality in your bedroom can lead to better sleep quality and mental performance, making it a critical factor in ensuring a healthy lifestyle. So, next time you're feeling tired despite getting enough sleep, consider the air quality in your bedroom, and take steps to improve it for a better tomorrow.
Pub Med Reference
Strøm-Tejsen P, Zukowska D, Wargocki P, Wyon DP. The effects of bedroom air quality on sleep and next-day performance. Indoor Air. 2016 Oct;26(5):679-86. doi: 10.1111/ina.12254. Epub 2015 Nov 5. PMID: 26452168.