How to reduce the effects of urban stress

Here’s something you probably haven’t asked yourself lately. Or ever…

“Am I getting enough carbon monoxide?”

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, tasteless, colorless toxic gas. It’s known as a “silent killer.” It’s often not noticed when it builds up in enclosed spaces.

But in open spaces, it’s a different story.

To evaluate the effects of urban stress, researchers measured potential causes…

* CO exposure

* Excessive noise

* Temperature extremes

* Exposure to crowds

Results showed that noise pollution was the most abrasive factor in creating urban stress.

What researchers didn’t expect was that CO exposure appeared to have a slight narcotic effect. And the effect was enough to lower stress levels caused by noise and large crowds.

Of course, it’s impossible to regulate your exposure to outdoor CO. And needless to say, you wouldn’t want to take steps to increase CO exposure.

But the researchers also found that urban stress drops as noise pollution decreases.

Hmmm… Good luck asking city slickers if they could just keep it down a little.

Sources:
“Carbon Monoxide — The Silent Calmer?” American Friends / Tel Aviv University, 11/8/11, aftau.org