\n
<\/p>\n
After a long day in the office, you catch a sight of yourself in the bathroom mirror: Hair, frizzy. Skin, dry. Eyes, puffy. <\/p>\n
\u201cOffice air\u201d has claimed yet another victim. <\/p>\n
The term, which has recently gone viral on TikTok, puts its finger on a complaint office workers have suffered in silence for years. Coined by content creator Noa Donlan, her videos documenting the phenomenon<\/a> have recently amassed millions of views across TikTok and Instagram. <\/p>\n \u201cI first noticed it as a student, but it became unmistakable once I started working full-time four years ago,\u201d Donlan told People<\/em><\/a> in a recent interview. \u201cI\u2019d leave the house feeling put together, then catch myself in the office bathroom mirror at noon and look\u2026 different.\u201d<\/p>\n Something is in the air. <\/p>\n Donlan is also not alone in noticing this<\/a> slow undoing<\/a> that occurs <\/a>over the course of a full day in the office. And according to experts, it’s not all in their head. <\/p>\n \u201cI don’t think this is anything necessarily new \u2014 we’ve been talking about interior air quality since the ’70s,\u201d workplace designer Ellen Barker, at TPG Architecture<\/a>, told Fast Company<\/em>. \u201cWhat’s interesting is that this conversation is now being rebranded by Gen Z as \u2018office air\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n The difference this time is rather than a focus on health (or \u201csick building syndrome\u201d as it was previously coined), the \u201coffice air\u201d conversation is far more concerned about how the office impacts our appearance. <\/p>\n So what exactly is going on?<\/p>\n Mostly, it’s to do with humidity levels, Barker and her fellow designer Chasen Bloch told Fast Company<\/em>. <\/p>\n \u201cEspecially in winter, when systems are running constantly, it really dries your skin out,\u201d said Barker. <\/p>\n “Low humidity damages the skin barrier, which is why people notice their skin feeling tight, dry, or more reactive after long days at the office,\u201d added Dr. Joel Spitz, Co-founder & Chief Medical Officer, Board Certified Dermatologist at skincare provider platform Honeydew. This leads to dehydrated, flaky skin that becomes especially noticeable after a long day at your desk. <\/p>\n \u201cIt dries out the scalp too, and counterintuitively, that can lead to oilier hair, because your body overproduces sebum<\/a> to compensate for the dryness,\u201d he continued. \u201cNails get more brittle over time for the same reason. None of this requires an exotic explanation. It’s just the air.\u201d<\/p>\n The other culprit is recycled air. Working from home, you may regularly crack a window to circulate some fresh air. \u201cIn an office, that’s not necessarily the case,\u201d said Bloch. If filters aren’t being changed regularly, a buildup of allergens and pollutants can cause irritation and allergic reactions. \u201cThat might explain why some people experience puffy eyes,\u201d added Barker.<\/p>\n Because the air is often recycled, there can also be a build up of carbon dioxide. \u201cThere’s been more research coming out about how that can affect decision-making<\/a>,\u201d said Bloch. \u201cIt makes it harder to think and can impair cognitive function<\/a>.\u201d Indeed, other symptoms of poor office air quality may not be as clearly visible, with studies showing it may also affect cognitive function and productivity levels<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cCompanies do have a financial incentive to design with HVAC and air quality in mind,\u201d said Barker. \u201cIf it leads to more productivity and fewer employees going home sick, that matters.\u201d <\/p>\n Most healthy workers won\u2019t develop health issues from office air alone. But sick building syndrome is a real phenomenon.<\/p>\n \u201cWith sick building syndrome specifically, it presented as symptoms like a sore throat, itchy eyes, or a mild cough that you noticed went away when you left the building and spent time outside,\u201d said Bloch. \u201cThose are important symptoms to look out for.\u201d<\/p>\n What those on TikTok and elsewhere are noticing, however, are the surface-level effects of spending too much time indoors chained to a desk: Lighting quality is another factor to consider. Harsh overhead lighting is not only unflattering, but Barker says there are studies that suggest possible negative effects<\/a> fluorescent lighting has on the skin\u2019s aging process, potentially accelerating it.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of our main suggestions to clients has been switching to LED, which is more sustainable, and uses a warmer tone instead of the blue light tone<\/a> that often comes with fluorescents,\u201d Barker says.<\/p>\n Another aspect to be mindful of when designing office spaces is using low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) finishes and furniture to reduce the amount of chemicals being circulated in the air. <\/p>\n \u201cFor example, if we’re using vinyl flooring, we make sure to specify a low-VOC product,\u201d said Barker. Low-VOC means less chemicals are released into the air as invisible fumes or vapors (think the smell of new carpet or freshly painted walls) at normal room temperatures, which can have adverse health impacts when breathed in. <\/p>\n There are also a number of ways to build up defense against office air if replacing the entire office HVAC system and lighting isn’t a viable option. <\/p>\n \u201cGetting the moisture balance right addresses the skin, scalp, and nail issues all at once, and it costs a lot less than overhauling the lighting or the ventilation system,\u201d said Dr. Spitz.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they have their own office, they could purchase an air purifier,\u201d suggested Barker. \u201cGoing for walks outside, taking breaks from screens\u2014these are things we all know, but it’s about being more conscious and getting ahead of the problem.\u201d <\/p>\n Too much time indoors limits exposure to sunlight, increasing the risk of vitamin D deficiency<\/a> and potentially causing dry skin<\/a>, increased acne<\/a>, and premature aging<\/a>. Other options include \u201cblue light glasses, protecting yourself with sunscreen, or using an application on your computer to filter out blue light,\u201d says Bloch. Other easy fixes to reduce the impact of office air include \u201cmaking sure you’re well hydrated, both with water and beauty products,\u201d said Bloch. <\/p>\n “A lot of what people attribute to the building itself is really the cumulative wear of a long workday,\u201d added Dr. Spitz. \u201cMakeup and hair don’t hold up after eight or ten hours. Eyes get puffy and dark circles deepen when you’re not sleeping enough or staring at a screen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe office gets the blame, but the lifestyle around the office is doing a lot of the work.\u201d<\/p>\nIrritants, allergens, malaise<\/h2>\n
Designing a better office to create better air<\/h2>\n