Clean air is one of the necessities of human beings. But with the rising population and human activity, air pollution has worsened in recent years, resulting in pollution-related diseases and poor quality of life. It is a fact that air pollution adversely affects our health and sense of well-being. In fact, the relationship between air quality and well-being is a critical issue that needs to be addressed both in the corporate workplace and public policies.
According to a study about how air pollution affects a person’s subjective well-being, optimism and good air quality make people happier and satisfied. This means air quality has a significant effect on one’s happiness, optimistic view, and life satisfaction.
Given the multiple benefits of good air quality in our health and well-being, it is not surprising why people are conscious of the air quality in their homes and workspaces. They go to great lengths to purchase quality air conditioning and invest in the preventative maintenance and repair of their AC systems. These practices ensure better ventilation, clean indoor air, a longer lifespan, and good quality of life.
With this in mind, we’ll talk about other health and wellness aspects affected by indoor air quality. This article will explain how improving air quality has a significant impact on an individual’s well-being, physical health, and productivity.
Health impact
Good health results in better well-being. From this idea, we can say the higher your health risks are, the more you endanger your well-being. The same rule applies when it comes to air quality. Exposure to good air quality in your home or workplace puts you in a better position to cope with different health threats while enjoying a fulfilling life.
Believe it or not, indoor air is more polluted than outdoor air. This is because of certain human activities or tools that aggravate the production of air pollutants, such as dirt, dust, bacteria, viruses, and volatile organic compounds. These particles make people more susceptible to headaches, colds, flu, and irritation. Meanwhile, prolonged exposure to contaminated indoor air causes severe illnesses, such as lung cancer, heart disease, and chronic bronchitis.
Mood effects
Indoor air pollution has adverse impacts on the occupants’ cognitive abilities and mood. Exposure to poor quality causes them to experience irritability, fatigue, depression, stress, mood swings, and poor concentration. If it goes on, a person is likely to experience low productivity and poor satisfaction levels.
Maintaining good air quality within the home and workplace doesn’t only make the occupants healthier, happier, and more productive; it also allows them to live a healthy lifestyle, resulting in a better quality of life.
Work performance
Indoor air quality should be a critical concern for corporate workplaces as it directly affects employees’ work performance. If your employees have been working at a reduced pace and taking sick leaves more frequently, it’s time to reassess the quality of air inside the office.
Modern offices often have a controlled environment, which means windows and doors are always sealed tight to prevent the cool air from the air conditioning units to escape. While this contributes to energy efficiency, this prevents air from circulating the room, allowing harmful air pollutants and other particular matter to build up.
Employees working from home should also be aware of how the air circulating inside their homes is affecting their work productivity and performance. If you notice that you often feel sluggish at work, it’s important to check the ventilation and HVAC systems in your home. This also explains why many home experts are encouraging remote employees to dedicate a home office in their yards or garden. Being surrounded by nature gives you peace and a sense of calmness, making you more prepared to tackle your work tasks.
For those working in industrial factories, workers are likely to be less productive, especially if they’re exposed to harmful pollutants and toxic chemicals. These elements lead to high levels of air pollution, making them more prone to chronic illnesses, such as respiratory diseases or other symptoms caused by a poor immunity system.
Another factor contributing to air pollution in traditional factories is when manual laborers keep moving around; they’re using more energy and breathing in more air filled with air pollutants. This explains why factory workers doing manual labor are more likely to be at risk of lung diseases.
These are just some many ways indoor air quality affects our day-to-day lives. In turn, this should be a wake-up call for homeowners and employers to invest in good ventilation systems to create a healthy indoor environment for building occupants. But besides our workplaces and homes, we should also take the opportunity to observe good environmental practices to reduce human impact on the planet.