Does Face Masks Lower Oxygen Levels?

Face masks now popular to the mass falls within the category of one of the hierarchies of hazard (anything with the potential to cause harm) control.

Welcome to another section on Safety Lane with Inyene Udoekong as we consider the title as well as the question. A reminder to note that our words here are selected intentionally to inspire, motivate and most importantly to give grace to our readers. My humble appeal is for your receptiveness to learn and to contribute politely.

Right into it; as humans, we have about 90 seconds worth of ATP stored in our bodies which we constantly use, hence the need to always get sufficient oxygen to aid the operations of the Adenosine triphosphate (ATP). I do not mean to remind you of your unappealing chemistry days, but some chemistry and biological jargons may be used to establish our points.

What is Oxygen? In layman’s term, oxygen is a colourless, odourless, tasteless gas essential for the breathing process. Meaning we cannot be effectively functional as humans without oxygen. The human body is a complex organism (several organs in the unity of the purpose to aid the operability of the body) and as such, it takes energy to maintain the delicate balance and the ATP aforementioned is the source of energy for use and storage at the cellular level.

Air is drawn from the surrounding environment into the lungs which are like balloons that do not have the capacity to inflate by themselves but are inflated if the air is blown into them. In a normal scenario, we must inhale and exhale air by ourselves, which happens on a daily’s as God enables us. There are a lot of activities that take place during this process from drawing in air to the channelling of air and how this air is filtered and eventually used to enhance our human physiology.

We have learned some basics about oxygen, so I would highlight a few benefits of oxygen in the body so we can tell why a deficit is not our lot. The brain of other organs in the body require at least 20% of the body’s oxygen supply and when it does not get that much, may lead to an anomaly to mention a few; may lead to sleep apnea (cessation of breathing), poor concentration, forgetfulness, mood swings, restlessness, depressive thoughts, and low drive. On the other lane extra oxygen has been shown to enhance mental performance and memory recall by boosting your energy which helps in quick recovery from exertion, helps in the elimination of toxins and in the clearing of your head (God’s word can do much better though), a good feeling of relaxation and increases alertness.

We should note that oxygen plays a pivotal role in the proper functioning of the immune system i.e., resistance to disease, bacteria, and viruses. The current pandemic thrives on a deficient immune system and low oxygen in the body tissues is a sure indicator for disease. Hypoxia which is a Lack of oxygen is the fundamental cause for all deteriorating disease.

Having understood from our foundation the basic knowledge of oxygen, we should know that the normal oxygen level is usually 95% or higher. However, some people with chronic lung conditions can have normal levels of around 90%.

A digital meter called a pulse meter, or an oximeter displays pulses and “SpO2” which shows the percentage of oxygen in the blood. You may seek your care provider if your oxygen level falls below 95% steadily.

Would be fun having a detour around the subject before heading to destination, don't you think so!... Face masks now popular to the mass falls within the category of one of the hierarchies of hazard (anything with the potential for harm) control. The PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, facemasks, hand gloves or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer’s body from injury or infection. To this script, the facemasks offer a barrier against the virus. Now we see how fashionable the use of these face masks has been over the past months on the advent of the pandemic, however, they may not be the most pleasant item to wear.  Studies have shown that they are also not depriving people of needed oxygen. Like the harness, anchored at a safe point when attempting to work at height, you never know when you will fall and may not be comfortable to be held back by the harness, but you must follow the procedure to work safely similarly, the face mask has become a procedure for all and sundry to comply with. They may not be comfortable, but they sure protect you to a good extent.

As we conclude, ensure your facemask is properly fit for your face configuration and also see that a sufficient hiatus in a well-ventilated space is observed to dispel every lasting discomfort that may arise in prolonged use of facemask.

I trust you can learn from this article. Until I come on your timelines, please do enjoy all of God’s daily benefits which includes good health and God’s protection in these times and always.

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