Understanding normal oxygen levels
The average person takes about 20,000 breaths a day. Keeping normal oxygen levels is a finely-tuned science.
“We’ve got to get oxygen from the atmosphere into our lungs; we’ve got to get the oxygen from our lungs into our bloodstream, and then we’ve got to get the blood to our cells, and our cells have to take out that oxygen.”
How do I check my oxygen level at home?
When you are at home and don’t have all of the electronic devices and laboratory access typically found in a hospital, there are two ways to check your oxygen level:
- a portable pulse oximeter and
- assessing physical signs and symptoms.
If you regularly use oxygen at home, it is a good idea to get a portable finger pulse oximeter. This device is similar to the electronic pulse oximeters used in medical facilities.
When you need to assess your oxygen level (or oxygen saturation) at home, this device will give you a number based on a range from 70%–100% and will also display your current heart rate. This data can be used to help you make important decisions during an emergency.
Normal oxygen saturation levels are 95% – 100%, although many patients that require oxygen at home may be at a lower baseline, ranging from 85%–95%.
If you do not have a portable finger pulse oximeter in your home, you can also learn how to assess signs and symptoms of low oxygen levels.
If you are the patient using oxygen, it is a good idea to learn these signs and symptoms yourself, but you will also want your family members or anyone who lives with you to be aware of these signs in case of an emergency.
Oxygen level in the human body
Two classic signs of a low oxygen level are a rapid heart rate and a fast breathing rate. A normal heart rate is 60–100 beats per minute and a normal breathing rate is 12–20 breaths per minute. However, under conditions of low oxygen, your body responds by increasing your heart rate and speeding up your breathing rate.
How to take a pulse oximeter reading
- Follow your health care provider’s recommendations about when and how often to check your oxygen levels.
- Write down your oxygen levels with the date and time of the reading so you can easily track changes and report these to your health care provider.
- Be aware that multiple factors can affect the accuracy of a pulse oximeter reading, such as poor circulation, skin pigmentation, skin thickness, skin temperature, current tobacco use, and use of fingernail polish.
- To get the best reading from a pulse oximeter:
- When placing the oximeter on your finger, make sure your hand is warm, relaxed, and held below the level of the heart.
- Remove any fingernail polish on that finger.
- Sit still and do not move the part of your body where the pulse oximeter is located.
- Wait a few seconds until the reading stops changing and displays one steady number.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use.
Respiratory therapists frequently teach their patients specialized breathing techniques. According to the American Lung Association, “If practiced regularly, breathing exercises can help rid the lungs of accumulated stale air, increase oxygen levels and get the diaphragm to return to its job of helping you breathe.”
Pulse Oximeters: Answering Your Frequently Asked Questions
How to check oxygen level without oximeter?
The app uses “reflective pulse oximetry,” which allows the light source and sensor (the camera in this case) to be next to each other.
What is a normal Pulse Oximeter reading?
What are normal levels, and when should I worry? Normal SpO2 is usually at least 95%. Some patients with chronic lung disease or sleep apnea can have normal levels of around 90%. …
SaO2 meaning
SaO2 is oxygen saturation as measured by blood analysis (e.g. a blood gas) and SpO2 is oxygen saturation as measured by a pulse oximeter. What does this mean?