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On whether changes in bedroom CO2 levels affect sleep quality

gwern.net

171–180 of 322 posts

Re: On whether changes in bedroom CO2 levels affect sleep quality

#171
I live in a tiny apartment that probably only circulates the air within the apartment itself. The system sucks air from one spot and throws it out from the vents at all places.

To force fresh air to come inside I keep the door of my room open and open the window by 3 inches. Turn on the HVAC. Thus all the air from my room is sucked and because of the pressure difference fresh air gushes in. This works for me pretty well.

Re: On whether changes in bedroom CO2 levels affect sleep quality

#172
post #29

I was lucky to get my hands on 5 proper co2 sensors from university, while I was teaching and working. So plenty of test places. What I found: -Just a couple of hours in a office, without ventilation spikes the co2 enough to make everyone dizzy and tired by the end of the day. Keeping eye on the meter and ventilating properly, increased everyones productivity and people werent so tired by the end of the day. - Classr…

Check out ERVs, energy recovery ventilators.

Re: On whether changes in bedroom CO2 levels affect sleep quality

#173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My friend studied Interior Architectural Design, one of his professors there started one lecture a year by getting the CO2 sensors, placing them around the lecture hall, showing the readings at the start of the lecture, closing the doors and then after the hour long lecture showing the readings. During the lecture he mentioned the figures for CO2 concentration that led to symptoms, e.g. dizziness, sleepiness etc. The…

Maybe this is why I would feel sleepy during lectures. I always thought it was because I was mismanaging my sleep or the teacher was boring (it was probably a combination of the three).

This might also be the reason individual and small-group learning is more effective - there's less CO2.

Re: On whether changes in bedroom CO2 levels affect sleep quality

#174
This might be completely unrelated, but let's give it a shot:

I've noticed that sometimes after spending extended periods of time (in the magnitude of hours) in very close proximity with a significant other (e.g. cuddling, kissing, etc.), I feel groggy, dizzy, and have brain fog/difficulty focusing.

Could this be related to CO2 levels? I've been feeling it today and was wondering if it is hormone related, but CO2 could be an interesting explanation as well - I have noticed my breathing tends to slow down during these times as well.

I've never heard anyone else describe this so if you have any similar experiences, please share so I don't feel so alone with this.

Re: On whether changes in bedroom CO2 levels affect sleep quality

#175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

whatevs. I never saw the guy make grandiose claims about what he was doing, and if the results generalize to no one besides his future selves, so what?certainly useful to him and better than some half assed anecdotal justification. and most science is absolutely buried in possible confounds. sheez

So what? So it's actively misleading and draws people to unsubstantiated claims such as what are being flooded in this comment section is what.

how is it actively misleading?

Re: On whether changes in bedroom CO2 levels affect sleep quality

#176

Scott Alexander (slatestarcodex) provided a meta-study and also described how reducing CO2 in his cottage reduced headaches, fatigue, and poor sleep: https://slatestarcodex.com/2018/08/23/carbon-dioxide-an-open... After reading this, I got a Netatmo CO2 monitor like Scott and Gwern. I found that CO2 peaked in my bedroom at around 1500 PPM at 6 AM with the door closed and that I could keep it under 500 PPM with the do…

[deleted]

Re: On whether changes in bedroom CO2 levels affect sleep quality

#177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Drinking cold drinks in winter makes you cough.

Interesting, do you have an explanation for this?

Not the parent, but cold temperatures in the face/throat increase mucus production to protect your membranes, and excess mucus in the respiratory system will need be coughed up.

Of course it varies greatly depending on the person, temperature, state of immune system, humidity, etc.

But it's just the opposite of hot tea helping you cough less.

Re: On whether changes in bedroom CO2 levels affect sleep quality

#178
post #69

This is especially pronounced at high altitude, and when running a furnace in the winter. I keep large black tents (4x4 ft or 2x4) in every bedroom in the house, and grow kale, spinach, chard, peas, tomatoes, etc inside (with handmade COB LED lights). I don't have any sensors to get a real idea of the difference in CO2 it makes, but it allows us to run the furnace less at night (heat from the lights), and makes a not…

> but it allows us to run the furnace less at night (heat from the lights) Dear God, what's your power bill? There's no way a LED lights heat is as efficient as just using the furnace. edit: I meant cheap, not efficient.

Extra $38/m, and because the heat is targeted we can leave the unoccupied areas colder.

Certainly not an efficient way to heat the house, but the main concern is oxygen and not generating co2 with the furnace, then air filtration (SLC nasty air), then humidity, then food, THEN heating.

edit: we vent the tents directly at our beds

Re: On whether changes in bedroom CO2 levels affect sleep quality

#179
post #69

This is especially pronounced at high altitude, and when running a furnace in the winter. I keep large black tents (4x4 ft or 2x4) in every bedroom in the house, and grow kale, spinach, chard, peas, tomatoes, etc inside (with handmade COB LED lights). I don't have any sensors to get a real idea of the difference in CO2 it makes, but it allows us to run the furnace less at night (heat from the lights), and makes a not…

Have the police visited? Sounds like the sort of thing they'd think would be a grow house. (....a marijuana grow house, I mean, not one for eggplants and radishes)

800 Watts for 12 hours a day is about a hot tub worth of draw.

Re: On whether changes in bedroom CO2 levels affect sleep quality

#180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have the police visited? Sounds like the sort of thing they'd think would be a grow house. (....a marijuana grow house, I mean, not one for eggplants and radishes)

I reckon it would be tough growing eggplants indoors with LED light.

Fruiting plants are a pain because you have to shake them to pollinate. We mostly stick to leafy stuff. The lights are incredibly bright, top of the line horticultural COBs. They are not the pain point.
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