We spend a lot of time at home and a third of our day in the bedroom. Optimizing the air we are breathing is one way of reducing stress on the whole body and help keep the sinuses happy, fending off viral infections.
First: Replace furnace and air conditioning filters regularly. If allergies/asthma is also an issue a room sized air purification system is ideal, like an IQAir Health Complete.
Second: Maintain the proper levels of humidity. The lining of your nose, sinuses and throat is a mucous membrane that requires moisture to work properly. In the Canadian winter when we turn on the heat our homes, and bedrooms, lose the vital moisture needed to keep the membranes happy. A humidity meter is very affordable but there is a home method:
Drop three ice cubes into a glass, add water and stir. Wait three minutes. If moisture does not form on the outside of the glass, the air is too dry; you may need a cool-mist humidifier.
Lastly: Add plants to your home (and bedroom!) to add oxygen and improve the quality of the air. Plants absorb some of the particulates from the air at the same time that they take in carbon dioxide, which is then processed into oxygen through photosynthesis. Microorganisms associated with the plants are present in the potting soil, and these microbes are also responsible for much of the cleaning effect.
The best plants are:
• Spider Plants
• Peace Lilly
• Garden Mum
• Dracaena spp. (Note: toxic to animals if eaten)
• Ficus
• Boston Fern
• Snake Plant
• Bamboo Palm
• Aloe vera
