Sleeping in Closed Room to Generate More CO2

[Vileplume]

I read this article that mentioned how, in a closed room with seven people, oxygen levels did not change but carbon dioxide levels increased greater than three-fold. Recently I've had trouble sleeping deeply, but I noticed that when I share the bed with someone, or have someone else sleeping in the same room as me, I get much more deep sleep.

Do you think that sleeping in a regular-sized bedroom with closed windows would make a worthwhile difference in CO2 levels, especially throughout the night? I think putting something under the door crack would also help, to trap breathed air in the room even more. In this situation, it would be sort of like a jumbo-sized version of bag-breathing, and sleeping with multiple people in the same room would only add to the effect.

This article cites a study that also found higher CO2 levels in a closed rooms; however, the study also found higher levels of formaldehyde and carbon monoxide. I can imagine if we're just breathing in recycled breath all the time, we'd intake some things we don't want, including the spike protein, other viruses, and bacteria. Not sure if sleeping in a closed room is worth it. Additionally, having fresh air just feels nice. Closed rooms get very stuffy.

 

[Beastmode]

I read this article that mentioned how, in a closed room with seven people, oxygen levels did not change but carbon dioxide levels increased greater than three-fold. Recently I've had trouble sleeping deeply, but I noticed that when I share the bed with someone, or have someone else sleeping in the same room as me, I get much more deep sleep.

Do you think that sleeping in a regular-sized bedroom with closed windows would make a worthwhile difference in CO2 levels, especially throughout the night? I think putting something under the door crack would also help, to trap breathed air in the room even more. In this situation, it would be sort of like a jumbo-sized version of bag-breathing, and sleeping with multiple people in the same room would only add to the effect.

View attachment 31450

This article cites a study that also found higher CO2 levels in a closed rooms; however, the study also found higher levels of formaldehyde and carbon monoxide. I can imagine if we're just breathing in recycled breath all the time, we'd intake some things we don't want, including the spike protein, other viruses, and bacteria. Not sure if sleeping in a closed room is worth it. Additionally, having fresh air just feels nice. Closed rooms get very stuffy.

A faraday tent might have a better effect on this, yet there's a point where it's not comfortable (i.e- sleeping with blanket over head) for most people.

Sleeping with another person in the bed has a chemical effect due the companionship. Who we're sleeping with makes a difference, not that I remember very well since I'm married with a kid :)

 

[cs3000]

I read this article that mentioned how, in a closed room with seven people, oxygen levels did not change but carbon dioxide levels increased greater than three-fold. Recently I've had trouble sleeping deeply, but I noticed that when I share the bed with someone, or have someone else sleeping in the same room as me, I get much more deep sleep.

Do you think that sleeping in a regular-sized bedroom with closed windows would make a worthwhile difference in CO2 levels, especially throughout the night? I think putting something under the door crack would also help, to trap breathed air in the room even more. In this situation, it would be sort of like a jumbo-sized version of bag-breathing, and sleeping with multiple people in the same room would only add to the effect.

This article cites a study that also found higher CO2 levels in a closed rooms; however, the study also found higher levels of formaldehyde and carbon monoxide. I can imagine if we're just breathing in recycled breath all the time, we'd intake some things we don't want, including the spike protein, other viruses, and bacteria. Not sure if sleeping in a closed room is worth it. Additionally, having fresh air just feels nice. Closed rooms get very stuffy.

hmm interesting approach to sleep changes, i wonder how CO2 effects slow wave sleep

this one showed 2% carbon dioxide air enhanced deep NREM (~+20%), but 4% & 6% CO2 destroyed sleep parameters no good

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51425567_Effect_of_Hypercapnia_on_Sleep_and_Breathing_in_Unanesthetized_Cats

covering head with 1 sheet + 1 or 2 covers - CO2 raised to 1%-2% by 1 sheet + 1 blanket
https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/...lthy-to-sleep-with-the-head-under-the-blanket
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/343219

The effect on the inspired oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations was studied in five healthy men, 25 to 30 years old. Each volunteer rested quietly though not sleeping, in the left lateral decubitus position on a sheet-covered mattress. The head was covered for ten minutes by one sheet and one standard AUS blanket weighing 3 to 4 lb and then by one sheet and two blankets for an additional ten minutes.

Before covering the head, the oxygen concentration was 20.7% to 20.9%, and the carbon dioxide concentration was 0.4% to 0.5%. Upon covering the head with one or two blankets, the mean oxygen percentage rapidly decreased to 18% to 19% and the mean carbon dioxide rose to 1% to 2% within one minute and thereafter remained stable. Hypoxia as low as 16.5% oxygen, and hypercapnia as high as 4.1% carbon dioxide was obtained beneath the covering of two blankets.


Here's a cool study in humans by NASA etc

Joint NASA-ESA-DARA Study. Part three: characterization of sleep under ambient CO2-levels of 0.7% and 1.2%​

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9591620/

An experiment was conducted to study sleep quality and sleep architecture in volunteers living in a closed system under elevated ambient CO2 levels of 0.7% and 1.2%. In a closed system, human life is possible only if the CO2 level is permanently adjusted. For the Russian space station MIR, for example, the CO2 levels of the present study are actual upper limits for the adjustment. Sleep architecture was found to be altered in astronauts on the orbiting MIR station. Sleep quantity and quality were reduced. The latency to the first REM sleep was shorter in space and slow wave sleep was redistributed from the first to the second sleep cycle. The elevated CO2 concentration in the atmosphere on MIR may be one of the reasons for those observations regarding sleep in space. Thus, this experiment was also conducted in order to clarify the interpretation of data obtained from astronauts on MIR. In this study sleep polygraphies could be recorded in 4 subjects who lived for 23 d under 0.7% and then for the same period of time under 1.2% CO2. Findings suggest that these levels of ambient CO2 do not reduce sleep quality. Sleep architecture, however, was slightly changed and showed that the amount of slow wave sleep increased with the duration of the exposure to CO2. But it can be excluded that findings on MIR were caused by elevated CO2-levels. [not sure why it can be excluded]


edit: annoyingly this sleep study showed improved time to sleep onset but reduced SWS with higher CO2 concentrations in the air (3000ppm 0.3% vs 0.08% typical room CO2) https://www.researchgate.net/public...lity_affected_by_carbon_dioxide_concentration

so by this one sleeping with a window cracked open & covers not above head would be optimal


on safety, NASA has some good info on short term. they set their upper limit for CO2 on spacecraft to 1.2% for 24h periods, 2% for 1 hour periods. but since have removed limits. maybe 0.4% now 3 mmHg? https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/co2_technical_brief_ochmo.pdf

26 days of continuous 1.2% carbon dioxide showed slight visual tracking peformance impairment but not enough to hinder functioning Joint NASA-ESA-DARA Study. Part three: effects of chronically elevated CO2 on mental performance during 26 days of confinement - PubMed).
another one showed acutely 2.5% for 30 minutes lowered depth perception (i guess temporarily until typical air breathed for a bit?).
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9591623/
the study indicates that at least visuomotor performance might be affected by CO2 concentrations in the ambient atmosphere as small as 1.2% if subjects are chronically exposed to these concentrations in a confined environment. The strength of these effects, however, does not appear to be of operational relevance.
so 1.2% had some impairment but not of operational relevance, and none of the other markers of cognition were mentioned as impaired


0.7% or 1.2% of 24hr exposure increased cerebral blood flow for the first 1 - 3 days sonistics.com/wp-content/uploads/John-James-ICES-2013-Carbon-dioxide.pdf

it says prolonged >~2000 ppm probably significantly impairs cognition. or this study shows 1500ppm in office rooms impaired cognition Associations of Cognitive Function Scores with Carbon Dioxide, Ventilation, and Volatile Organic Compound Exposures in Office Workers: A Controlled Exposure Study of Green and Conventional Office Environments (but hard to tell if legit with these agendas). (and if legit how soon after returning to normal air would that reverse?) also 2000ppm in % terms = 0.2% which contradicts 1.2% being fine over 24 hour periods for a month which would be 20,000ppm, hmm

Effects of acute exposures to carbon dioxide on decision making and cognition in astronaut-like subjects - npj Microgravity <- by this one in astronaut subjects 2.5 hours of elevated CO2 with cognition tests 15 minutes after leaving the chamber. they found no real differences up to 5000 ppm CO2. but oxygen % was still high so maybe that's the difference.

and mention: No statistically significant effects on acute health symptoms or cognitive performance were seen during exposures of college students for 4.25 h to pure CO2 at 1000, 3000, or 5000 ppm.8,9,10 However significant decrements in cognitive performance were found when subjects were exposed to metabolically produced CO2 at 3000 and 5000 ppm.

results are all over the place for tolerable prolonged CO2 PPM though


first 2 studies looks like 1.2% CO2 is an improvement but the other study looks like even an increase from 0.08% to 0.3% CO2 is a detriment. i guess the 3rd study is more specific so gotta go with no, sleeping without covering face, and keeping fresh air coming is probably better for SWS

 

[Dr. B]

I read this article that mentioned how, in a closed room with seven people, oxygen levels did not change but carbon dioxide levels increased greater than three-fold. Recently I've had trouble sleeping deeply, but I noticed that when I share the bed with someone, or have someone else sleeping in the same room as me, I get much more deep sleep.

Do you think that sleeping in a regular-sized bedroom with closed windows would make a worthwhile difference in CO2 levels, especially throughout the night? I think putting something under the door crack would also help, to trap breathed air in the room even more. In this situation, it would be sort of like a jumbo-sized version of bag-breathing, and sleeping with multiple people in the same room would only add to the effect.

View attachment 31450

This article cites a study that also found higher CO2 levels in a closed rooms; however, the study also found higher levels of formaldehyde and carbon monoxide. I can imagine if we're just breathing in recycled breath all the time, we'd intake some things we don't want, including the spike protein, other viruses, and bacteria. Not sure if sleeping in a closed room is worth it. Additionally, having fresh air just feels nice. Closed rooms get very stuffy.

Sleeping under the blanket would also work for this right? Some people mentioned possible concerns of breathing in toxins. Is sleeping in a closed room superior for co2 than sleeping under a blanket? You could combine both?

 

[Dr. B]

A faraday tent might have a better effect on this, yet there's a point where it's not comfortable (i.e- sleeping with blanket over head) for most people.

Sleeping with another person in the bed has a chemical effect due the companionship. Who we're sleeping with makes a difference, not that I remember very well since I'm married with a kid :)

High altitude tents? Do they actually work similar to bag breathing? Is it an airtight tent basically, so it’s like a gigantic tent sized bag?

 

[Beastmode]

High altitude tents? Do they actually work similar to bag breathing? Is it an airtight tent basically, so it’s like a gigantic tent sized bag?

The big issue is adaptation. It takes the body a while to adapt going up in elevation and down. Too fast will cause a stress reaction. Kinda defeats the purpose.

I've worked with a lot of pro athletes and they all get sold on the tent idea, but are so adaptive, that they can get away with it. High adaptors to stress.

 

[Vileplume]

Sleeping under the blanket would also work for this right? Some people mentioned possible concerns of breathing in toxins. Is sleeping in a closed room superior for co2 than sleeping under a blanket? You could combine both?

I intuitively came to the conclusion that sleeping in a closed room isn't a good idea, because it feels wrong. Fresh air feels so nice when falling asleep in the hot summer. I think when it's uncomfortable, any efforts to raise CO2 do more harm than good.

But when it's cold outside and being under a blanket (or in a warm cozy room) feels nice, it's probably a good thing to do. And I would imagine that it does increase CO2 levels.