Get Out of This Stuffy Room If You Want to Have an Effective Meeting.
We humans breathe oxygen – you probably knew this – and we breathe out carbon dioxide. In confined spaces, carbon dioxide can accumulate in the air. Some research suggests that conference rooms and classrooms can be closed enough to reach staggering concentrations of carbon dioxide.
This is a tricky question, however, and Veronique Greenwood recently answered it for the New York Times. Some studies have shown that people perform worse on problem solving tests after inhaling air containing 2500 parts per million of carbon dioxide (a high level you might see in a classroom or conference room).
But other studies, including NASA’s that dealt with proofreading, have found no link between stuffy air and performance. It may be that the effects are only noticeable on certain types of tests, or it may be that something in the study design or other aspects of the environment of the test takers affected their thinking ability.
But since it is possible that poor ventilation is a problem, good advice for you and me might be to open a window if you are spending a long time in a crowded, confined space, or go outside when you get the chance. Of course, you may have to deal with allergies or environmental pollution, but walking or spending time in nature is usually good for you anyway .