Home » How to Increase Blood Oxygen Level and Improve Your Health
Do you need to boost your blood oxygen levels? Read on to find out how.
Adequate blood oxygen saturation is very important to your health and well-being. If you’ve been told you have low blood oxygen saturation, you may have been googling “how to increase blood oxygen level.” You’ll soon realize there are many methods for testing, including professional medical oxygen equipment.
More than 20 percent of the oxygen you breathe in goes to your brain. If this vital organ doesn’t get enough oxygen over time, your brain cells start to die. Similarly, if your heart doesn’t get enough oxygen, you are at risk for heart disease. In this article, we’ll discuss the simple and complex options available to you. Before we do that, let’s look at some of the basic information regarding blood oxygen levels. If you’ve been searching for “how to increase blood oxygen level,” keep reading.
Unlike blood pressure or blood sugar, few people think about blood oxygen saturation or whether they have a normal blood oxygen level. However, oxygen saturation directly impacts your health and overall quality of life. The normal range for healthy adults and children is between 95 and 100 percent. Any value below 90 percent is considered low. Low blood oxygen levels can cause some uncomfortable or painful symptoms that, without treatment, can lead to cyanosis.
The blood oxygen level chart below outlines the various levels, what they mean, and what type of intervention is necessary Oxygen Levels.
Oxygen Levels | Meaning | Treatment Needed |
95% or more | Normal for healthy people | No need for treatment |
88 to 92% | Normal for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | Conduct respiratory assessment and monitoring |
85 to 94% | Hypoxic | Commence oxygen therapy and assess for underlying respiratory conditions |
Below 85% | Severely hypoxic | Start supplemental oxygen immediately |
Now that you know which blood oxygen levels should be of concern and some of the factors that affect your blood oxygen saturation, let’s look at the best methods to measure your levels. Two of the more popular options are:
If you have a low blood oxygen level, you may notice several symptoms including:
If you take a test or notice these symptoms of a low blood oxygen level, there are several things you can do to improve your condition. You should:
If you want to do even more to quickly and efficiently improve your blood oxygen level, check out Summit Oxygen’s home and portable oxygen concentrators. If you don’t want to buy the device, we also offer oxygen equipment rental. Contrary to popular belief, oxygen equipment is not just for people who have COPD and other health problems. If you have not yet adjusted to high altitude living or want to improve your wellbeing, our products are for you. Boosting your oxygen levels can even help to increase your sleep recovery. Contact us today to find the right solution for your needs.
Originally published Jul 29, 2019 11:30 AM, updated May 21, 2021