How to Keep My Body Oxygen Level Up

Our bodies run on oxygen and every cell that makes up the human body needs oxygen in order to survive. When cells get too little oxygen, they die which results in the feeling of tiredness, shortness of breath, a bluish tint to skin and difficulty concentrating. When your lungs are functioning properly, they deliver the right amount of oxygen to your blood cells, giving your body what it needs. Sometimes a low oxygen level can be caused by illness, injuries or even blockages or clogs due to continued exposure to smog or cigarette smoke.

Instructions

• 1

  Visit your doctor and inform him of your concern about your blood oxygen level. Mention any symptoms such as extreme tiredness, shortness of breath or bluish skin tone that you may be experiencing.

• 2

  Ask for a pulse oximeter machine to test your blood oxygen levels at home and determine if you have hypoxemia (low blood oxygen).

• 3

  Test your blood oxygen level with a pulse oximeter when you are resting and during physical exercise. Clip the machine's attachment to your finger and read the resulting numbers, understanding that results between 95 to 100 percent are considered normal while results below 90 percent are considered low.

• 4

  Talk to your doctor about beginning oxygen therapy, if your levels are low, which can help sustain healthy oxygen levels in your blood.

• 5

  Stop smoking. Prolonged use of cigarettes or cigars can cause decreased lung function and shortness of breath over time. Also avoid prolonged exposure to second-hand smoke by staying away from areas where people may be smoking.

• 6

  Check your city's air quality index when planning your daily activities. If the air quality is predicted to be low on a certain day due to an increase of smog, consider limiting strenuous outdoor activity that day. For example, you might want to consider riding an indoor stationary bike as opposed to going for a long run outside on low air quality days.

• 7

  Exercise regularly as consistent exercise improves your overall strength, endurance and lung function.