These days, more households have their own gym tucked in an extra space in the garage or basement. Home gyms are meant to encourage people to exercise more often and live a more active lifestyle. But little do we know that this can also be the reason why you often get sick even when you stay at home more often.
You may have a strict and regular exercise routine partnered with lots of sleep and a healthy diet. You are also following social distancing rules and are staying indoors more during the pandemic. But why are you still catching a cold and flu?
More often than not, we fail to consider the things that can actually make us sick at home. Home gyms, for instance, are tucked away in corners where there is not enough ventilation. You could also be exposing yourself to molds, pests, pollutants, and other allergens that can trigger allergies and other health conditions.
Here are some ways your home gym could be the reason you are often sick and how you can address each one.
Poor Air Quality
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, poor indoor air quality can cause or aggravate 50% of all illnesses. This means if your home gym has poor air quality, this can actually make your health suffer. Despite your efforts to stay active, the bad air circulating in your home gym can actually make you sick.
There are many things that can lead to poor air quality inside your home gym. For one, your Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning HVAC system could be compromised due to a lack of cleaning and maintenance. When your HVAC system is not working as efficiently as possible, your energy bill can skyrocket and even your indoor air quality will be affected.
A well-functioning HVAC can help improve the air quality in your home gym. This is why it is crucial that you hire the services of a licensed HVAC contractor to maintain your system. You only need to hire their services during scheduled maintenance and repair, making every service a worth investment.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
The materials used to prepare your home gym can also impact your health. Think of your paint of choice, for instance. Many people would focus on the paint colors used in their home while disregarding the type of paint used.
Regular paint contains lots of VOCs that are bad for the environment and your health. Even if the paint already dried up, it can still emit VOC gases that can cause eye and respiratory irritation. Long-term exposure to VOC gasses can even cause damage to your central nervous system, your liver, and your kidneys.
This is why it pays to be careful of all materials you use in your home gym. Make sure you choose materials that have little or no VOCs. If you have no time to repaint your wall paint, you have the option to move your gym to a well-ventilated area in the meantime.
Mold and Fungus
Mold and fungus can be easy to detect if you choose to trust your nose. These often present themselves in a funky smell and visual mold and fungus growth. Addressing mold and fungus problems is a good way to ensure these won’t cause you any breathing problems and infections in the future.
There are cases when you can safely try to get rid of mold yourself. This is only when you are sure that your mold or fungus problem is n only one spot. Otherwise, call in the experts to get rid of your mold problem for you.
Most homeowners would rather hire the pros for their mold issue. This is since removing molds can release spores into the air. If you have no idea how to do this and you are already experiencing symptoms of mold allergy, then it is better to call in the pros.
Pests
One can never be too sure that their home is pest-free. If your home gym is located in the garage or basement, then you could already be exposing yourself to illness-causing pests. This is since these areas are a common breeding ground for different pests.
What you can do is improve the ventilation in your home gym. This way, it will be a less hospitable space for critters. You can avoid pests from ruining your home and stop these from damaging your health.
Regular cleaning is not enough to make sure your home gym won’t have a negative impact on your health. You also need to make sure the space is well-ventilated, free from harmful pests, molds, and chemicals, and has good air quality. It becomes a must that your place of exercise won’t expose you to other health issues, Knowing how to make your home gym a healthier place while you better achieve your fitness goals.
