Persons with severe asthma often have a lot of trouble breathing and can have their symptoms offset by simple triggers. Yet, doctors will tell them that part of getting their illness under control is exercising regularly. The question is how do you exercise when it’s hard for you to breathe properly?
Here are some great tips you can use to make sure you get the benefits of exercise while staying healthy.
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Stay On Top Of Your Medications
The medication regimen for those with severe asthma can be very strict. It typically includes daily maintenance inhalers as well as emergency drugs for when you’re having a flare-up. When you’re planning to exercise, you have to ensure that you’ve been taking your medication the way it’s been prescribed.
It’s also been shown that you’ll have a better experience if you exercise right after taking your maintenance medication.
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Choose The Right Physical Activity
Just as the symptoms of severe asthma can vary, the type of exercise that works best for you can vary too. Even though the aim of being physically active is to increase your lung capacity, it doesn’t mean that you have to go for the most strenuous one first.
In fact, many persons with severe asthma have a lot of success with low-impact activities such as yoga and swimming. Walking, hiking and biking are also acceptable.
Always Warm Up And Cool Down
These steps are important regardless of how often you’ve been exercising. Warming up properly will get your body prepared for the activity while cooling down will have the opposite effect. If you’re working out on your own, make sure to research the most effective warm-up and cool-down exercises.
Don’t Exercise In The Cold
Cold temperatures can make it hard to breathe so the recommendation is that you should stick to warm areas. If you must work out in cold weather, though, make sure to cover your mouth and nose. In the event that this doesn’t work, it’s better to find another activity during the colder months.
Avoid Pollen And Pollution-Heavy Areas
As you may already know, pollen and pollution are possible triggers for your asthma. Even if you have been following your medication regimen, it’s always recommended that you avoid the triggers as much as you can.
Apart from working out indoors, you can stay away from areas with a lot of flowers as well as those that are close to highways.
Don’t Push Yourself Too Hard
When you’re living with severe asthma, there will be good days and bad days. If you’re having trouble breathing or feel a cold coming on, you should put off your exercise for that day. Any type of exercise can tip you over the edge into a flare-up so be sure to take it easy.
Work With An Exercise Partner
Some persons are concerned about having an asthmatic episode when exercising. If you share that concern, having a partner can help with that. This route includes being very open about the signs of a flare-up are and how to handle it. There is a certain amount of peace of mind that comes from knowing that someone is available to help you if you need it.
Practice Your Breathing
Though the aim of exercising is to improve your lung capacity, it doesn’t mean you can’t do that when you’re not being active. Health experts have recently approved of the use of breathing exercises to help with that.
The breathing exercise options currently include nasal, diaphragmatic, Buteyko, pursed-lip, and yoga.
There is also The Papworth method that many persons have found useful. It’s best to talk to your doctor so you’ll know which methods will work for you.
It may take a little time to establish a routine that works for you but it can be done. Health experts recommend using fitness apps, step counters, or other methods that can help you to keep track of your achievements. Regardless of how small those achievements may be, it makes a difference when you celebrate them.
