Increased alertness, coupled with greater O2 use = greater CO2 production from the increase in respiration - not a straight line as the body will use what it needs and will ramp consumption only if there was a prior deficiency. Increase in CO2 produced also drive faster respiration as the body has detectors for extra CO2 = homeostasis.
I definitely feel like I'm not breathing the same quality air when I'm in my room vs when I'm in the woods. I'm not sure how much of an issue it is, though. It might just be me getting hung up on every little annoyance. But I do suspect I'd think better if I was in a slightly more oxygen rich environment than my room.
Well, in the day's sun = higher O2 and at night progressively higher CO2 and lower O2 as plant respiration/decomposition. I am sure this has been measured and is online - where?
There is also a chance that the intangible 'scent' of freshness, similar to after a shower might sway your senses?
I feel like I can sense the "stuffiness" (CO2) in a room apart from the scent, but I do think it would be worth an experiment to make sure. I agree it's a potential confounding(?) variable.
Wow, I never knew that. My memories are based mostly on being in the woods in Maine, which is mostly pine trees IIRC. I wonder if I could get the same benefit from putting pine needles in my room or something.
You may want to look for a really nice source of essential oils, or terpenes, and put it in a diffuser.
I won't go so far as to recommend it, but I personally learned about this in the context of vaporization (not "vaping") of hemp/cannabis, but the related oils are found in plenty of other plants, and/or as concentrates for putting into the air, or into you in various ways.
