Why is Air Quality Important?

Could air quality cause students to have trouble concentrating? Create a hormone imbalance? Might it affect everyone and not just the young, old, or sick among us? Scientists are learning that air pollution poses serious risks to everyone. And you may not even know it! Bad air quality doesn’t have to mean horrific fumes, bad smells or pollution you can see.

Air Pollution, Stress, and Health

Some kinds of stress are good for your body. Stress can strengthen your immune system or prompt you to run when chased by a tiger! But stress, especially chronic stress, is also detrimental. Over time, your immune system weakens, and you could develop heart disease, high blood pressure or other chronic ailments. In fact, stress is directly linked to every one of the six leading causes of death in the United States:
1. Heart disease
2. Cancer
3. Lung ailments
4. Accidents
5. Cirrhosis of the liver
6. Suicide
Most stress is rooted in emotional troubles, but there is another, less well-known cause. Scientific studies now implicate poor air quality in increasing stress. While the exact mechanism by which stress and the air we breathe are related remains unknown, scientists suspect that brain inflammation and hormonal activity create the connection.

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So, yes! Air quality can cause students to have trouble concentrating and create a hormonal imbalance!

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 Also, many of these pre-existing conditions known to increase the risks of death in COVID-19 are affected by long-term exposure to poor air quality.

Airborne Transmission of Covid-19

Virus-containing aerosol particles establish a critical pathway for Covid-19 infections. This pathway essentially means that the Covid-19 virus becomes a pollutant in the air, decreasing its quality. Suitable measures to clean the air to prevent infections are imperative, especially where several people convene in a closed room.

A recent study at the Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, tested the efficiency and practicability of air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters for high school classrooms during classes. The measurements and calculations demonstrated that the air purifiers substantially reduce the risk of airborne transmission of Covid-19.

Why is Air Quality So Important?

Ultimately, air quality offers more than just a “breath of fresh air” when you want to:
• Concentrate on your work or studies
• Reduce stress
• Keep your hormones balanced
• Avoid getting Covid-19
• Reduce your risk for the top six causes of death
So, keep your air clean, fresh, and healthy. Your body will thank you for it!