9 Best Ways To Increase Oxygen Levels In Blood

Eating a balanced diet, staying active, and more ways to boost your oxygen levels.

Reviewed by Nilofar Pendhari, Certified Clinical Nutritionist
Written by Jyotsana Rao, BE
Edited by Arshiya Syeda, BA (Literature & Psychology), PG Diploma
Fact-checked by Himanshi Mahajan, BSc (Life Sciences), Certified Health & Nutrition Life Coach  • 

Do you often feel fatigued? Do tiredness and exhaustion make your life tough? One of the best ways to reverse this situation is by increasing the oxygen levels in your blood.

How to get more oxygen in your blood? That is what this post is all about. Read on to know more!

How To Increase Oxygen Level In Blood

It is not necessary to spend a lot of money on extensive medical procedures like hyperbaric oxygen therapy, positive airway pressure, pulmonary rehabilitation, and supplemental oxygen to enhance the amount of oxygen in your blood. You can easily increase your oxygen levels by making some simple lifestyle changes and adopting healthier habits.

1. Exercise

Woman doing push-ups
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Image: IStock

To ensure your blood is infused with oxygen, you need to work out regularly. When you work out, the cells in the body burn oxygen faster than the regular rate (1). As the carbon dioxide levels in the body increase, your brain increases the respiration rate to get more supply of oxygen. Your respiratory system and cardiovascular health are at peak performance during aerobic exercise to intake more oxygen. It has been observed that people afflicted with COPD and resultant low oxygen saturation can enhance their blood oxygen levels through exercise.

protip_icon Did You Know?
The blood oxygen level of a healthy person ranges between 95% and 100%. However, for people with sleep apnea or chronic lung disease, the normal level is around 90%.

2. Antioxidants

Woman eating porridge with antioxidant-rich berries
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When you consume foods replete with antioxidants, your body can use oxygen in a better way (2). Certain vitamins, including vitamin B12 vitamins E and C, have proven antioxidant properties. You may eat foods like cranberries, blueberries, red kidney beans and dark leafy vegetables to enhance your intake of antioxidants.

3. Improvement In Posture

You may not have thought about posture and its link with enhanced oxygen in the blood, but they are actually linked (3)! When you stand, walk or sit in a slouched posture, it hinders the breathing process to an extent. As a result, you end up taking in less amount of oxygen. Sitting or walking with an erect back and straightened posture enables more oxygen to be inhaled, and that can enter the bloodstream as well.

4. Evading CO2 And Carbon Monoxide

Try to avoid areas and regions where the concentration of carbon monoxide and similar gases are higher. It is hard to find such areas in urban regions though. Nevertheless, try to avoid roads where traffic congestion is more.

5. Getting Fresh Air

Woman breathing in fresh air to increase oxygen levels.
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When you spend more time in regions where pollution is less and fresh air is available, your bloodstream gets a large supply of oxygen. You may plant trees and shrubs in your garden as they soak in CO2 and release oxygen into the atmosphere. You may also resort to jogging or a morning walk by the riverside, a park or green areas where air is fresher to take in more oxygen through breathing. Ensure the rooms in your house are properly ventilated as well.

6. Eating Foods With Essential Fatty Acids

Eating foods containing the essential fatty acids are beneficial in many ways (4). An oxygen-rich diet consisting of These foods are ideal if you want to increase the amount of oxygen in the blood stream. Foods with compounds like alpha-linolenici  XAn omega-3 fatty acid derived from plants, such as flaxseed oil and walnut oil. It also shares characteristics with fatty acids in fish oil. acid and Linolenic acidi  XOne of the essential omega-3 fatty acids that may reduce inflammation and prevent the development of several chronic diseases. are very useful in this regard. You should eat plenty of soybeans, flaxseeds and walnuts.

7. Resorting To Deep Breathing

Woman practicing deep breathing to increase oxygen levels.
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When you want to take in more oxygen, resort to deep breathing techniques. Slow and deep breathing methods help in stress reduction enable more oxygen to enter your lungs and get into the bloodstream eventually.

8. Quitting Drugs, Alcohol And Smoking

Woman quit smoking to increase oxygen levels.
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Research indicates that smoking cessation leads to improved lung function and reduces the risk of respiratory diseases (4).

Further, research has shown drinking alcohol can increase one’s susceptibility to pulmonary diseases. Heavy drinkers are more susceptible to pneumonia, tuberculosis, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (5). By avoiding smoking and alcohol consumption, you can ensure your bloodstream is infused with the required level of oxygen. Needless to say, discarding such habits is beneficial to your overall health.

protip_icon Did You Know?
A blood draw test and pulse oximeters are two main ways to measure blood oxygen levels. However, a blood draw test offers more information about oxygen levels than oximetersi  XA device that is used to measure how well oxygen binds to red blood cells via infrared light refraction. .

9. Oxygen Therapy

Oxygen therapy is a medical treatment that involves administration of oxygen at higher concentrations than what is found in the ambient air. Its aim is to increase oxygen levels in the blood. It is commonly used to treat individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumonia. During oxygen therapy, patients wear a nasal cannula or a mask that delivers purified oxygen. The therapy helps improve oxygen saturation in the bloodstream and ensures vital organs receive adequate oxygen (6).

A survey of 16,818 participants aimed at determining the accuracy of oxygen saturation and how pulse oximetry readings may vary with different ethnicities. The cohort study included White (81.2%), Asian (11.7%), Black (4.0%), and other (3.2%) ethnicities and ran for 4 years from 2017 to 2021. The result showed that pulse oximetry overestimated O2 saturation in patients of Black ethnicity with the difference being 8.7% vs. 6.1% of Black vs. White subjects.

Infographic: 5 Ways To Boost Blood Oxygen Levels

Low blood oxygen levels might be why you have been feeling so tired recently. You don’t need intense treatments to regulate these levels. Out of all the remedies given above, there are some really easy lifestyle changes you can incorporate to ensure you stay healthy and active. If you want to live every day with liveliness and vigor, check out the infographic below for top 5 ways you can increase oxygen levels in the blood.

5 ways to boost blood oxygen levels (infographic)

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Get the high-quality PDF version of this infographic.

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We hope now you have understood how to increase oxygen levels in the blood. Following the suggestions in the article and making small changes in your lifestyle will modulate your blood oxygen levels. This will help relieve your extreme tiredness and fatigue. For example, you can exercise and get fresh air to increase your oxygen levels. In addition, consume an antioxidant-rich balanced diet and avoid smoking or excessive alcohol intake. However, if the low blood oxygen level condition persists along with other worrying symptoms, consult your healthcare provider to diagnose any underlying medical condition.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to increase blood oxygen levels while sleeping?

Sleeping on your side, improving the indoor air quality, breathing exercises, right temperature and humidity, alleviating nose and chest congestion, can all ensure good oxygen supply while sleeping.

How to increase blood oxygen levels in elderly?

Deep breathing exercises, active lifestyle, healthy diet, staying hydrated, and quitting smoking can help the elderly attain better oxygen levels.

Does drinking water increase blood oxygen in the body?

Yes, with ample hydration your lungs stay hydrated and work to their full potential, improving the oxygen levels.

How to increase oxygen levels immediately?

Pollution-free fresh air is one of the quickest methods to increase the oxygen supply in the blood. Standing up straight instead of lying down can also increase oxygen levels by reducing the pressure on the lungs, and deep, slow breaths can increase air supply to the lungs.

Key Takeaways

  • Working out regularly can increase heart and lung capacity to improve oxygen intake.
  • Spend time in areas with fresh air and low pollution levels to increase oxygen supply in the bloodstream.
  • Deep breathing techniques enable more oxygen to enter your lungs and bloodstream.
  • Quit hazardous habits like smoking, consuming alcohol, and taking drugs to ensure enough oxygen supply in the bloodstream.
how to increase oxygen level in blood

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

Want to naturally boost oxygen levels in your blood? Check out the video below to discover 6 effective ways to enhance oxygenation.

How has this post helped you? Do tell us by commenting in the box below.

References

Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.

1. The effects of intensity of exercise on excess postexercise oxygen consumption and energy expenditure in moderately trained men and women
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8299613/
2. Free radicals, antioxidants and functional foods: Impact on human health
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/
3. Body position change and its effect on hemodynamic and metabolic status
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15454907/
4. Essential fatty acids in health and chronic disease
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10479232/
5. Alcohol’s Effects on Lung Health and Immunity
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4590617/
6. Oxygen Administration
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551617/

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