How to get blood oxygen levels up

Do you often feel fatigued? Do tiredness and exhaustion make your life tough? One of the best ways to reverse this situation is by increasing the oxygen levels in your blood.

How do you do it? That is what this post is all about. Read on to know more!

It is not necessary to spend a lot of money or implement drastic changes in life to enhance the amount of oxygen in your blood. You need to make some simple lifestyle changes and adopt healthier habits for success in this regard.

1. Exercise

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To ensure your blood is infused with oxygen, you need to work out regularly. When you work out, the cells in the body burn oxygen faster than the regular rate (1). As the carbon dioxide levels in the body increase, your brain increases the respiration rate to get more supply of oxygen. Your lung and heart perform at optimum capacity during the exercise to intake more oxygen. It has been observed that people afflicted with COPD and the resultant low oxygen saturation can enhance blood oxygen levels through exercise.

2. Antioxidants

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When you consume foods replete with antioxidants, your body can use oxygen in a better way (2). Certain vitamins, including vitamins E and C, have proven antioxidant properties. You may eat foods like cranberries, blueberries, red kidney beans and dark leafy vegetables to enhance your intake of antioxidants.

3. Improvement In Posture

You may not have thought about posture and its link with enhanced oxygen in the blood, but they are actually linked (3)! When you stand, walk or sit in a slouched posture, it hinders the breathing process to an extent. As a result, you end up taking in less amount of oxygen. Sitting or walking with an erect back and straightened posture enables more oxygen to be inhaled, and that can enter the bloodstream as well.

4. Evading CO2 And Carbon Monoxide

Try to avoid areas and regions where the concentration of carbon monoxide and similar gases are higher. It is hard to find such areas in urban regions though. Nevertheless, try to avoid roads where traffic congestion is more.

5. Getting Fresh Air

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When you spend more time in regions where pollution is less and fresh air is available, your bloodstream gets a large supply of oxygen. You may plant trees and shrubs in your garden as they soak in CO2 and release oxygen into the atmosphere. You may also resort to jogging or a morning walk by the riverside, a park or green areas where air is fresher to take in more oxygen through breathing. Ensure the rooms in your house are properly ventilated as well.

6. Eating Foods With Essential Fatty Acids

Eating foods containing the essential fatty acids are beneficial in many ways (4). These foods are ideal if you want to increase the amount of oxygen in the blood stream. Foods with compounds like alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid are very useful in this regard. You should eat plenty of soybeans, flaxseeds and walnuts.

7. Resorting To Deep Breathing

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When you want to take in more oxygen, resort to deep breathing techniques. Slow and deep breathing methods enable more oxygen to enter your lungs and get into the bloodstream eventually.

8. Quitting Drugs, Alcohol And Smoking

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By avoiding smoking and alcohol consumption, you can ensure your bloodstream is infused with the required level of oxygen. Needless to say, discarding such habits is beneficial to your overall health.

We hope now you have understood how to increase oxygen levels in the blood. Following the suggestions in the article and making small changes in your lifestyle will modulate your blood oxygen levels. This will help relieve your extreme tiredness and fatigue. For example, you can exercise and get fresh air to increase your oxygen levels. In addition, consume an antioxidant-rich balanced diet and avoid smoking or excessive alcohol intake. However, if the low blood oxygen level condition persists along with other worrying symptoms, consult your healthcare provider to diagnose any underlying medical condition.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to increase blood oxygen levels while sleeping?

Sleeping on your side, improving the indoor air quality, breathing exercises, right temperature and humidity, alleviating nose and chest congestion, can all ensure good oxygen supply while sleeping.

How to increase blood oxygen levels in elderly?

Deep breathing exercises, active lifestyle, healthy diet, staying hydrated, and quitting smoking can help the elderly attain better oxygen levels.

Does drinking water increase blood oxygen in the body?

Yes, with ample hydration your lungs stay hydrated and work to their full potential, improving the oxygen levels.

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Jyotsana Rao is an engineering graduate from NIT, Nagpur, who discovered her love for writing during her undergraduate days. She... more

Nilofar Pendhari is a physiotherapist, dietitian, and certified clinical nutritionist having over 9 years of professional experience in the field... more