We spend at most 90% of our time indoors, and what’s worse is that the air we breathe inside a closed space is actually 2 to 5 times more polluted and toxic than what we breathe outdoors. The longer exposure to this, the higher the risk of developing rashes, fatigue, asthma and other bronchial problems.

This is a matter everyone has to act on quickly. So here are the few tips on how you can improve the air quality you breathe at home.

Let the fresh air in
The air inside your home may contain chemicals from cleaning products, hair sprays, paints, and gas stoves, and in high concentration, could cause health problems to your family. They don’t dissipate on their own. Keeping your windows constantly closed may trap these air irritants indoors with you. Quickly freshen your indoor air once in a while and escort air pollutants out by opening your windows two hours before sunrise, or late at night—when smoke and outdoor allergies are still in low concentration.

Trust the houseplants
According to a study of NASA, “Houseplants can purify and rejuvenate air within our houses and workplaces, safeguarding us from any side effects associated with prevalent toxins like ammonia, formaldehyde and also benzene.”

One of the things that you can easily less effort is by situating two or three houseplants in the corners of your home.

Dust and keep your floors clean and dryDo not allow dust and pet dander to build up anywhere in your home. They immediately settle on the floor and are suspended in the air your entire family breathes. Sweeping and damp mopping help ensure a good quality of indoor air.

Don’t wear outdoor shoes indoor
Your shoes can pick up herbicide, pesticides, allergens and other bacteria as you walk around outside. Leave a mat outside and inside your door so you can give your sole a good wipe before coming in. Place a shoe rack closer to your door so you can set down your shoes in a neat and orderly manner.

Don’t smoke in or near your home
Cigarette smoke is one of the leading causes of lung cancer. The cigarette smell lingers for several hours and residue could stick to your walls, carpets, and other surfaces, even after the smoke clears. It’s just so awful. Ban smoking from your home and its premises to prevent this kind of pollution affecting the entire family.

Get rid of dust mites
Dust mites are microscopic bugs that feed off pet and human dander. They thrive in warm, humid environments and live in the fabric of your home such as bedding, cushions, curtains, stuffed toys, and upholstered furniture. They can irritate your nose, and throat, and trigger asthma, and other allergies.

For prevention, replace your blinds with washable curtains; wash your sheets and blankets weekly in hot water. Bathe and comb your pets, and keep them off your beddings and sofas to minimize the build-up of dander.

Use the right air purifier

Admit it, there are certain areas bare hands can’t really clean. Achieve spotless cleaning by choosing the right purifier with HEPA filter just like Purifirst It can filter out ultrafine particles that commonly lead to health issues such as molds, dust, and allergens, with up to 99.9% purification rate. It has seven air filters that prioritize resolving your air problems, so you can sleep better at night.

You don’t always have to go to your doctor’s office to have your blood pressure checked; you can monitor your own blood pressure at home. This is especially important if your doctor recommends that you monitor your blood pressure on a regular basis.

Tips for Checking Your Own Blood Pressure

There are certain factors that can cause blood pressure to temporarily rise. For example, blood pressure normally rises as a result of:

• Stress
• Smoking
• Cold temperatures
• Exercise
• Caffeine
• Certain medicines

Try to avoid as many of these factors as you can when taking your blood pressure. Also, try to measure your blood pressure at about the same time each day. Your doctor may want you to check your blood pressure several times during the day to see if it fluctuates.

Before Checking Your Blood Pressure

• Find a quiet place to check your blood pressure. You will need to listen for your heartbeat.
• Make sure that you are comfortable and relaxed with a recently emptied bladder (a full bladder may affect your reading).
• Roll up the sleeve on your arm or remove any tight-sleeved clothing.
• Rest in a chair next to a table for 5 to 10 minutes. Your arm should rest comfortably at heart level. Sit up straight with your back against the chair, legs uncrossed. Rest your forearm on the table with the palm of your hand facing up.

Step-by-Step Blood Pressure Check
If you purchase a manual or digital blood pressure monitor (sphygmomanometer), follow the instruction booklet carefully.

The following steps provide an overview of how to take your left arm blood pressure on either a manual or digital blood pressure monitor. Simply reverse the sides to take a blood pressure in your right arm.

1. Locate your pulse
   Locate your pulse by lightly pressing your index and middle fingers slightly to the inside center of the bend of your elbow (where the brachial artery is). If you cannot locate your pulse, place the head of the stethoscope (on a manual monitor) or the arm cuff (on a digital monitor) in the same general area.

2. Secure the cuff
Slide the cuff onto your arm, making sure that the stethoscope head is over the artery (when using a manual monitor.) The cuff may be marked with an arrow to show the location of the stethoscope head. The lower edge of the cuff should be about 1 inch above the bend of your elbow. Use the fabric fastener to make the cuff snug, but not too tight.

Place the stethoscope in your ears. Tilt the ear pieces slightly forward to get the best sound.

3. Inflate and deflate the cuff
If you are using a manual monitor:

• Hold the pressure gauge in your left hand and the bulb in your right.
• Close the airflow valve on the bulb by turning the screw clockwise.
• Inflate the cuff by squeezing the bulb with your right hand. You may hear your pulse in the stethoscope.
• Watch the gauge. Keep inflating the cuff until the gauge reads about 30 points (mm Hg) above your expected systolic pressure. At this point, you should not hear your pulse in the stethoscope.
• Keeping your eyes on the gauge, slowly release the pressure in the cuff by opening the airflow valve counterclockwise. The gauge should fall only 2 to 3 points with each heartbeat. (You may need to practice turning the valve slowly.)
• Listen carefully for the first pulse beat. As soon as you hear it, note the reading on the gauge. This reading is your systolic pressure (the force of the blood against the artery walls as your heart beats).
• Continue to slowly deflate the cuff.
• Listen carefully until the sound disappears. As soon as you can no longer hear your pulse, note the reading on the gauge. This reading is your diastolic pressure (the blood pressure between heartbeats).
• Allow the cuff to completely deflate.

If you released the pressure too quickly or could not hear your pulse, DO NOT inflate the cuff again right away. Wait one minute before repeating the measurement. Start by reapplying the cuff.

4. If you are using a digital monitor:

• Hold the bulb in your right hand.
• Press the power button. All display symbols should appear briefly, followed by a zero. This indicates that the monitor is ready.
• Inflate the cuff by squeezing the bulb with your right hand. If you have a monitor with automatic cuff inflation, press the start button.
• Watch the gauge. Keep inflating the cuff until the gauge reads about 30 points (mm Hg) above your expected systolic pressure.
• Sit quietly and watch the monitor. Pressure readings will be displayed on the screen. For some devices, values may appear on the left, then on the right.
• Wait for a long beep. This means that the measurement is complete. Note the pressures on the display screen. Systolic pressure (the force of the blood against the artery walls as your heart beats) appears on the left and diastolic pressure (the blood pressure between heartbeats) on the right. Your pulse rate may also be displayed in between or after this reading.
• Allow the cuff to deflate.

If you did not get an accurate reading, DO NOT inflate the cuff again right away. Wait one minute before repeating the measurement. Start by reapplying the cuff.

5. Record your blood pressure.
Follow your doctor’s instructions on when and how often you should measure your blood pressure. Record the date, time, systolic and diastolic pressures. You should also record any special circumstances like any recent exercise, meal, or stressful event.

At least once a year, and especially after you first purchase your blood pressure monitor, bring your monitor with you to your doctor’s visit to check the machine’s accuracy. This is done by comparing a blood pressure reading from your machine with one from the doctor’s office machine.