Sleep, Exercise, and Daily Life: Dr. Jafri Explains the Impact of Air Quality on Health

Dr. Jafri,?The Nose Institute ??

LinkedIn:?https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/kamranjafri/ ??

We spoke with?Dr. Jafri ,?medical director?of?The Nose Institute , about how to help patients breathe easier and the importance of clean air.?The Nose Institute specializes in all medical conditions that can affect the nose and sinuses. Dr. Jafri is a double?board-certified?surgeon with more than two decades of clinical experience?and has a special interest in minimally invasive approaches to improve breathing for patients. We spoke with Dr. Jafri about the challenges his patients?face and solutions to help?them?breathe easier.??

What is the primary concern your patients have?regarding?the ability to breathe?easier? ?

Our patients are most concerned about?optimizing?sleep potential and?their ability to exercise?effectively?due?to their inability?to breathe easily and clearly. They also note problems with breathing exercises during activities like yoga and meditation. Patients with more severe problems get tired of mouth breathing all the time and have fatigue,?headaches,?and increased stress due to problems from not breathing well.?Our ability to breathe properly?impacts?all areas of our lives.??

What are the top disruptions of the nasal passage/hindering?patient's?ability to breathe??

There are?two?main reasons that can disrupt a patient's nasal breathing-anatomical blockage and congestion from inflammation. Anatomic blockage includes nostrils that are too small or that collapse in, a deviated nasal septum, and enlarged?turbinates?in the nasal cavity. Inflammation in the nose leads to swelling of tissues that can lead to even more blockage of the nasal passages. Three?main causes of inflammation are allergies, acid reflux, and being exposed to poor air quality.??

Talk to us more about how?seasonal allergies or air pollution affect your patients. ??

Seasonal allergies and air pollution are?by and large the?most prevalent and common factors that cause poor breathing for patients across the board. Allergies are becoming increasingly common and easier to diagnose,?and poor air quality continues to be an ongoing crisis?around?the world. The allergens and pollutant debris in the air directly trigger inflammation in the nasal tissues that can be of both short and immediate duration or result in chronic, long-term symptoms. Patients?with?blocked and stuffy?noses?often have?sinus problems as well?and note?poor sleep quality and?ongoing?fatigue.?In addition to being tired, they?find their ability to exercise is limited once they are?impacted?by allergens or air pollutants.??

One of the first things I often ask patients about is the quality of the air they are breathing – how much time do they spend outside or inside?and?what are outside factors potentially?impact?the quality of the air they breathe.?A good first step for everyone is to ensure they are breathing in the "cleanest" air?possible. This is where?quality?air purifiers can be of great benefit to everyone.?

What impact do air purifiers have on your patient’s sleep? ?

When?patients?lie down to sleep,?several things start to occur in our nose that?may?impact?our sleep quality. In general nasal congestion increases and can switch from side to side blocking the nose, resulting in?mouth breathing which leads to poor sleep. If a person is sleeping in a room with air pollutants this only compounds the problem. Having an air purifier in the room while?sleeping is an excellent tool in decreasing the inflammation that occurs in the nose as we sleep. The clearer the nose, the better the sleep.?

What are the top health challenges air purifiers can help alleviate??

Air purifiers?can?help improve nasal breathing. Improving nasal breathing helps all aspects of our health. Proper nasal breathing has a positive impact on our sleep and nervous?system?both of which?impact?all aspects of our health?on a daily basis. Our metabolism, blood pressure, restorative healing, immune?system,?and mental wellbeing are all?impacted?by how well we breathe.??

What features do you look for when recommending a specific air purifier to a patient? ?

I?advise patients to?do their research when it comes to selecting an air purifier. First,?check the technical standards that the purifier has. Then decide when and where?it will be used;?I usually recommend one for the bedroom and any?common area?like a family room where lots of time is spent. Cost and ease of use should also factor in. Finally,?they need to make sure to use?it?on a daily basis?to get the most impact.?

What measures have you taken to keep your patients safe during the pandemic, and what has the customer response been??

We have learned so much during the pandemic about not just keeping ourselves and our patients safe but also how important technology has become to?providing?safe,?effective,?and impactful care for our patients. I decided early on that aside from using?PPE, rigorous cleaning protocols, limiting people in the office, and screening all patients before they come in?that?cleaning the air in the office?was?probably the?most important thing we?can?do. We are seeing more studies supporting the use of?HEPA?filters and air purifiers in the healthcare setting. It has made a difference and I see no reason to not continue using them even once we have formally turned the corner on the pandemic. Poor air quality will not go away,?and we increasingly need to understand the impact this can have on?all of?our patients if we?don't?address it.?

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