An oxygen level of 95-98% is great. That is more than enough for your tissues to do fine. The best thing you can do for yourself now is not start smok.
Oxygen level Heart rate How do I read the numbers on the screen? Your oxygen meter shows two numbers. The oxygen level is labeled SpO2. The other number is your heart rate. For most people, a normal oxygen level is 95% or higher and a normal heart rate is generally below 100. Hemoglobin is an element in your blood that binds with oxygen to carry it through the bloodstream to the organs, tissues, and cells of your body. Normal oxygen saturation is usually between 96% and 98%. Any level below this is considered dangerous and warrants urgent oxygen supplementation and/or treatment for your lung condition.
When it comes to your blood oxygen level, a second-look can never hurt.
Let’s be frank: if you’re currently living with a chronic lung disease like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis (PF) or emphysema, the maintenance of your health and symptom expression is generally your top priority. Often, this can mean a particular level of scrutiny in the foods you eat, the exercise you get, your exposure to cigarette smoke and other harmful airborne conditions, and the continual maintenance of your respiratory metrics, such as your PFT and blood oxygen levels.
Simply put, for those with lung disease, it’s not only incredibly important to monitor your health and make adjustments in your behavior when necessary, but for many, it’s a way of life. Your blood oxygen level is one of the most important metrics to measure; as it is a clear indicator of how well your body is distributing oxygen (more on that in a moment). Taking the time to determine your blood oxygen level and how it fits in with the national average can be a vital marker for the direction of your respiratory health.
With your health in mind, the Lung Health Institute is here to break down the things you need to know on your Blood Oxygen Level: Is My Oxygen Level Normal?
What is Your Blood Oxygen Level?
In the most basic terms, your blood oxygen level is the amount of oxygen in your blood. Sounds simple, right? However, the complexities of this measurement come into play when trying to increase this amount by doing more than taking deeper breaths. As you can imagine, the level of your blood oxygen is important for your general health. If your blood oxygen is too low—in comparison to the average blood oxygen level of a healthy adult—you may be hypoxemic.
As is the case of most people with COPD, oxygen levels are below normal and hypoxemia can frequently occur over time. This means that your body has trouble nourishing your cells, tissues and organs. As your blood is the medium for getting oxygen (via red blood cells) throughout your body, poor circulation can produce the symptoms of chronic lung disease—namely shortness of breath.
Overall, this can reduce your quality of life, impair your skeletal muscle function, impair your exercise tolerance and increase your risk of death.
How is Your Blood Oxygen Level Measured?
A normal blood oxygen level typically ranges from 75 to 100 mm Hg. In the case of dangerously low blood oxygen, the level that requires supplemental oxygen is anything under 60.
The best way to monitor blood oxygen levels is through your arterial blood gasses (ABGs); however, this can be difficult to do at home. In place of using an ABG test, it’s more convenient to use a pulse oximeter, which measures oxygen saturation through a small clip on your finger. In the realm of oxygen saturation levels, normal is often considered anything between 95-100 percent.
Anything below 90 is usually considered low, therefore if you are below this metric, you should consider asking your doctor for a prescription for supplemental oxygen.
What Does My Blood Oxygen Level Mean for My Health?
Your blood oxygen levels have a direct effect on the expression of your symptoms. A low blood oxygen level can signify a lack of proper circulation or oxygen saturation within the body, which can ultimately result in a variety of conditions typically associated with chronic lung disease.
These may include:
- Confusion
- A sense of euphoria
- Restlessness
- Headaches
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid breathing
- Dizziness, lightheartedness and/or fainting spells
- Lack of coordination
- Rapid heart rate
- Elevated blood pressure
- Visual disturbances
- Bluish tint to lips, earlobes and/or nail beds
- Elevated red blood cell count or polycythemia
What Can I Do Moving Forward?
Understanding your blood oxygen levels is a key step in learning how to measure your health. Whether it’s through measuring it yourself using a pulse oximeter, or having it properly tested through an ABG test with your primary physician, knowing the basic metrics of your respiratory health is critical to making the changes necessary to improve it.
Although the most important step in taking control of your health is to quit smoking, a close second is to address your general health through diet and exercise.
With these behavioral changes, it’s possible to greatly affect the pronouncement of symptoms for people with COPD, pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema. However, when lifestyle changes fail to improve your quality of life in the way that you may expect, it may be time to consider cellular therapy. Rather than addressing the symptoms of lung disease, cellular therapy may directly affect disease progression and may improve quality of life.
For more information on cellular therapy and what it could mean for your life moving forward, contact us today or call us at 888-745-6697. Our patient coordinators will walk you through our available treatment options, talk through your current health and medical history and determine a qualifying treatment plan that works best for you.
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Measurements taken with the Blood Oxygen app are not intended for medical use and are only designed for general fitness and wellness purposes.
The Blood Oxygen app is only available in certain countries and regions. Learn where the Blood Oxygen app is available.
What is blood oxygen
Your blood oxygen level represents the percentage of oxygen your red blood cells carry from your lungs to the rest of your body. Knowing how well your blood performs this vital task can help you understand your overall wellness.
The majority of people have a blood oxygen level of 95 - 100%. However, some people live a normal life with blood oxygen levels below 95%. Slightly lower values while sleeping are expected, and some users might experience values below 95%.
How to use the Blood Oxygen app
Make sure that you meet the below requirements and follow the steps to set up the Blood Oxygen app.
Here's what you need
- Make sure that the Blood Oxygen app is available in your country or region. You will be able to see this during the setup process.
- Update your iPhone 6s or later to the latest version of iOS.
- Update your Apple Watch Series 6 to the latest version of watchOS.*
- The Blood Oxygen app is not available for use by people under 18 years old. You can confirm or set up your age in your Health Profile.
*The Blood Oxygen app is not available if you set up your Apple Watch with Family Setup.
Set up the Blood Oxygen app and background readings
- On your iPhone, open the Health app.
- Follow the onscreen steps. If you don't see a prompt to set up, tap the Browse tab, then tap Respiratory > Blood Oxygen > Set up Blood Oxygen.
- After you complete setup, open the Blood Oxygen app on your Apple Watch to measure your blood oxygen levels.
If you still don’t see the Blood Oxygen app on your Apple Watch, you can search the App Store on your Apple Watch for Blood Oxygen and download it.
The Blood Oxygen app is installed during the setup in the Health app. If you deleted the Blood Oxygen app, you can install it again from the App Store on your Apple Watch if you’ve completed the Blood Oxygen app setup.
How to take a blood oxygen measurement
You can take a blood oxygen measurement at any time with the Blood Oxygen app.
- Make sure that your Apple Watch is snug but comfortable on your wrist.
- Open the Blood Oxygen app on your Apple Watch.
- Stay still, and make sure your wrist is flat with the Apple Watch facing up.
- Tap Start, then keep your arm steady for 15 seconds.
- Wait. The measurement takes 15 seconds. At the end of the measurement, you will receive the results.
- Tap Done.
How to get the best results
- Rest your arms on a table or in your lap while you take a measurement. Keep your wrist and palm down and flat, and hold as still as you can.
- Make sure that your Apple Watch isn’t loose on your wrist. The band should be snug but comfortable, and the back of your Apple Watch needs to be touching your wrist.
- Make sure that the back of your Apple Watch is flush with the top of your wrist. If your wrist bones interfere with this, move your watch 1 to 2 inches up your arm away from your wrist bone.
Additional factors
Even under ideal conditions, your Apple Watch may not be able to get a reliable blood oxygen measurement every time. For a small percentage of users, various factors may make it impossible to get any blood oxygen measurement.
- Skin perfusion (or how much blood flows through your skin) can impact measurements. Skin perfusion varies significantly from person to person and can also be impacted by the environment. If you are out in the cold, for example, the skin perfusion in your wrist might be too low for the sensor to work with the Blood Oxygen app to get a measurement.
- Permanent or temporary changes to your skin, such as some tattoos, can also impact performance. The ink, pattern, and saturation of some tattoos can block light from the sensor, making it difficult for the Blood Oxygen app to get a measurement.
- Motion is another factor that can affect your ability to get successful background or on-demand measurements. Certain postures, such as arms hanging by your side or fingers in a fist position will also result in unsuccessful measurements.
- If your heart rate is too high (above 150 bpm) while at rest, you won't be able to get a successful blood oxygen measurement.
About background measurements
The Blood Oxygen app on your Apple Watch will occasionally measure your blood oxygen levels if background measurements are on. This will usually happen when you are not moving. Depending on how active you are, the number of readings collected each day and the time between these readings will vary. Blood oxygen measurements use a bright red light that shines against your wrist, so it may be more visible in dark environments. If you find the light distracting, you can turn off background measurements.
- Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
- Tap Blood Oxygen, then turn off In Sleep Mode and In Theater Mode.
Blood oxygen measurements only occur during sleep if the Track Sleep with Apple Watch setting is turned on.
How the Blood Oxygen app works
In Apple Watch Series 6, the optical heart sensor has been redesigned to add blood oxygen measurement capabilities. During a blood oxygen measurement, the back crystal shines red and green LEDs and infrared light onto your wrist. Photodiodes then measure the amount of light reflected back.
Advanced algorithms use this data to calculate the color of your blood. The color determines your blood oxygen level — bright red blood has more oxygen, while dark red blood has less.
95% Blood Oxygen Level
View your Health information
All blood oxygen measurements, whether on-demand or in the background, are saved in the Health app on your iPhone.
- Open the Health app.
- Tap the Browse tab, then tap Respiratory > Blood Oxygen.
You can also filter and view measurements taken only while sleeping or in a high-elevation environment.
Things you should know
- Blood Oxygen app measurements are not intended for medical use, including self-diagnosis or consultation with a doctor, and are only designed for general fitness and wellness purposes.
- The Blood Oxygen app is designed for users who are at least 18 years old.
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