Your blood oxygen level indicates how well your heart, lungs, and circulatory system are doing. The inability to sustain healthy blood oxygen levels can cause elevated emotional stress and anxiety, a compromised immune system, and reduced energy levels, especially in older adults. If you’re looking for ways to improve your oxygen levels naturally, we’ve got some tips for you.
Breathing Exercises Can Improve Oxygen Levels
We all breathe without thinking about it, but sometimes the way people breathe can impede your health. There have been findings that sick individuals inhale through their air and upper chest more instead of breathing slowly from one’s diaphragm through the nose, which is the right method. From now onwards, make sure you’re practicing proper diaphragmatic breathing methods in order to improve your oxygen levels. In addition to that, did you know your lungs need regular exercise as well to maintain a healthy respiratory system? Pulmonary rehabilitation experts recommend practicing simple breathing exercises to open your airways and increase the amount of oxygen entering your body. A popular method to fall asleep is using the 4-7-8 breathing method which eases tension and promotes relaxation. Simply inhale through your nose and count to four before holding this breath for seven seconds. Then, exhale through the mouth for eight seconds, and repeat this five times.
Improve Oxygen Levels With Your Diet
What you consume is everything. More foods with antioxidants are highly recommended to be implemented in your diet if you’re looking to improve your blood oxygen levels naturally. It turns out the foods that are high in antioxidants are mostly the more popular ones, so you already either have these in your regular diet or you’ll likely not mind incorporating more of these into your meals. We’re talking plums, strawberries, artichoke hearts, red kidney beans, cranberries, blackberries, and plenty more. You can eat these on their own or make your very own fruit juices or smoothies to start your day. You can also consider taking in more fatty acids such as Vitamin F to help increase the amount of oxygen that hemoglobin in your bloodstream carries. These are found in flaxseeds, walnuts, and soybeans.
Get Active to Improve Oxygen Levels
Especially for older individuals, getting enough physical activity in a week is critical to one’s overall quality of life. Engaging in aerobic exercise is a simple way for your body to better utilize its oxygen while removing waste through the lymphatic system. You don’t even need to do anything too strenuous, just walking for about 30 minutes a day can have greater effects on one’s circulatory system than spending hours at the gym two to three times a week. Plus, you’ll reap the other great benefits of exercise like reduced stress, improved confidence, and mood!
Why Choose Conservatory At North Austin?
At Conservatory At North Austin, our retirement community offers a wide array of exclusive senior living programs and we have floor plans designed for every type of mature individual. Our dedicated team members are sure to make you feel warm and welcomed as you enter our community.
If you have any inquiries about our range of services, feel free to contact us today.