Unravelling the reasons for these effects is a key research topic in environmental psychology.
This is a growing research area in the behavioural sciences, driven by concerns about climate change and sustainability, and by rapidly increasing urbanisation around the world. It is based on the idea that our minds are affected by the environment in which we live. So, if we want a healthier mindset, we need a healthier environment. We all take over 20,000 breaths every day, and yoga and meditation techniques teach us that our breath very much affects our state of mind. Yet many people do not realise that air pollution has been linked to many psychological problems, including:
- cognitive decline and brain fog (especially in older adults),
- depression and anxiety,
- stress and poor emotional wellbeing,
- development of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other attention problems in children.
While most of these studies are very recent and much research still needs to be done, the connections are becoming clearer.
One key mechanism is thought to be generalised inflammation (an auto-immune response), which can affect the normal functioning of the HPA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal) axis. As one of the main homeostatic systems in the body, the HPA axis is responsible for releasing hormones such as cortisol in response to stress, so its malfunctioning can have pervasive effects on body and brain.
On top of this, air pollution can even have direct neurological effects, especially during pregnancy and old age (some studies have linked it to dementia). So, it is particularly important for older people, pregnant women, and small children to have clean air supply at all times.
Talking of children, recently I have been studying the increase in attention problems such as ADHD in modern societies. People tend to think that new technology is causing problems with attention, particularly in children and young people. But did you know that ADHD has also been linked to air pollution? Just as toxic chemicals in the air can inflame our bodies, causing illnesses and infections, they can have inflammatory effects on the brain, giving rise to "brain fog" and other problems. If we want to clear our heads, we need to literally clear the air.
I believe my own research area of education and technology can play a role in addressing this problem. One idea I intend to develop is a mobile game that teaches children about air quality, incorporating real-time pollution data from sources like IQAir. The goal would be to teach kids responsible behaviour when the air is bad. There is so much potential for mobile technology to help with this.
