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On whether changes in bedroom CO2 levels affect sleep quality

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

#181
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…

All/most modern houses (10-15 years old) have central ventilation systems here. This allows for great insulation while also having great ventilation. The central system sucks out warm air from bathroom/kitchen and uses it to warm up incoming air from the outside.

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

#182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's true. But heat pumps don't have the gross energy capability as a gas heater. To get the equivalent of an 85,000 BTU gas furnace you'd need to be pumping 25 kW through your heat pump at that point.

I think one reason heat pumps have become more practical is that homes are now better insulated, making 85kBTUs of heating capacity excessive for all but the largest houses.

We've got an old, poorly insulated home which is why our requirement is so high.

The average is 30 BTU / 1000 sq feet. That's 10 kW / 1,000.

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

#183

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 cou…

There's a lot going on physiologically when you're getting intimate (e.g. oxytocin, testosterone), so it's hard to tell. However, I've noticed the same thing, and I'll also add a loss of appetite.

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

#184
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…

> I think it is getting worse with every new building.

Only if you skimp on HRV system (which are cheap and works like magic).

It's lame to say it's getting worse, when it's actually getting better.

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

#186

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 cou…

There's a lot going on physiologically when you're getting intimate (e.g. oxytocin, testosterone), so it's hard to tell. However, I've noticed the same thing, and I'll also add a loss of appetite.

Glad someone can relate, but sorry you have to deal with it as well.

What are your thoughts on seeing an endocrinologist about this? In addition to oxytocin, testosterone, etc., I was also wondering if it might be related to prolactin levels.

I also just read some people talk about similar symptoms here but no clear answers: https://patient.info/forums/discuss/partner-becomes-ill-afte...

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

#187
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.

How are these different from HRV - Heat recovery ventilation?

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

#188
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…

As someone who has built my fair share of houses and worked on many more over the last 25 years, I have to agree that our ability to seal air better than ever is causing problems, especially if you don't have forced air heating and cooling running all the time. People just completely ignore or haven't ever thought about room ventilation, positive or negative room pressures, and where and how to ventilate to the outsi…

I have a 100+yr old house, no vents. Old style radiator. Doors have large gaps underneath them, the holes on the floor that the radiator pipes travel through have gaps that you can feel the draft. It's annoying, but the house really does breath and is noticeable comfortable for me unlike houses with forced heat that are sealed well.

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

#189
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

+1 here. I worked at an IoT startup with a lot of gas sensors. When we tested the CO2 sensor, we immediately noticed a correlation between early-afternoon sleepiness and high CO2 levels. Opening the door to the outside world lowered levels and within 5 minutes we felt more awake. It changed how I work: I still like to be warm and cozy, but now I'll bundle up and endure changing the air rather than seal every door and…

I feel like most of these experiments don't control for air temperature. I feel like cold air has a much more rejuvenating effect than just lowering CO2 levels. Not that they don't matter, but it's not like you'll instantly feel better.

Why won't you "instantly" feel better? Instant meaning a few breaths of outside air, anyway, likely well within the claimed 5 minutes.

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

#190
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…

This is one of my regular arguments in the office, I open a window, someone says "aren't you cold??" and I say "I don't want it colder, I want it fresher, less stuffy".

Your anecdata has cemented it as fact(tm).

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