"Wearing a Mask"

So today I'm thinking about all the people that are wearing a mask for their 8 hour shift.

Is this a good or bad thing?

I did a little research to see what that answer was and this is what I found.

The inability to get enough oxygen into the lungs raises the risk for developing "hypoxia". Hypoxia is a condition where not enough oxygen makes it to the cells and tissues in the body. This can happen even though blood flow is normal.

Some things to look for when wearing a mask for long periods of time are: confusion, lack of coordination, restlessness, headache, shortness of breath, rapid breathing, dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting spells

A mask doesn't actually lower the concentration of oxygen in the air, the way altitude does, it simply lowers the amount of air you can breathe.

And what happens when you breath in too much of your own carbon dioxide (that's what you produce when you exhale)?

When Co2 (that's our carbon dioxide we expel) levels are elevated in the body it's known a "hyypercapnia". This can occur for many reasons with one being rebreathing our own exhaled CO2. And this can lead to increased blood pressure, headaches, muscle twitches, rapid heart rate, chest pain, confusion and fatigue.

And "hypercapria" can suppress immune system function!

So my suggestion to those that must wear a mask for long periods of time . . . to periodically find a place to go with no other people and take your mask off to do deep breathing exercises. Refresh the oxygen in the lungs and cells of the body. Best case . . . would be outside in the fresh air.

And as I stated in a previous Health Tip . . . drink more water. In order to oxygenate and expel carbon dioxide (that's when we exhale) our lungs need to be hydrated and drinking enough water, therefore, influences oxygen levels in the body.

Stay strong my people on the front line . . . we love you and appreciate your time and devotion in this call of duty more than you could possibly imagine. You are "all" in our prayers and thoughts!

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