How To Breathe Easier

May 12, 2021

If you are breathing effectively, your breath should be steady, smooth, and controlled. You should feel at ease and relaxed because you are getting enough air without straining. Ideally, your abdominal area expands when you inhale and contract when you exhale. Therefore, during inhalation, you should feel your ribs expand to the sides, front and back.

However, weather changes and air quality can affect how we breathe. For instance, rising humidity and heat can make it difficult for you to breathe. If you have chronic lung conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, you may have difficulties breathing with changing weather conditions.

Ten Tips on How to Breathe Easier

1. Adapt to the weather

It is impossible to change the prevailing weather conditions. But, you can take the necessary steps to adapt. If you find it challenging to breathe easier with weather changes, there are a few things that can help you. While some people find it hard to breathe in the winter due to cold temperatures (the cold weather dries their air passages), others are affected by hot and humid air (because of the moisture's heaviness in the air they breathe). It would help if you took the necessary measures to minimize temperature fluctuations.

For example, if you move from hot weather into cold weather areas/air conditioning, wear a sweater. On the other hand, when going from heated buildings into cold weather, consider dressing warmly and covering your nose and mouth. Covering your mouth and nose helps you warm and humidify the air you inhale.

2. Avoid all the triggers you can control

Besides temperature changes, other environmental factors can make it difficult for some people to breathe easily. For instance, if you smoke, you should stop or minimize the habit. Also, avoid secondhand smoke and other irritants. Here are some of the triggers you should avoid:

Aerosol products
Cleaning products
Insecticides
Fumes
High humidity or heat
Mold, mildew, or dust
Outdoor allergy triggers
Any types of smoke

While one might react differently to fumes exposure, it is difficult to determine which of these triggers has a massive effect. If you have difficulty breathing after painting or using cleaning products, consider using protective gear like masks and goggles.

3. Use medication

Did you know sometimes using medication is recommended in extreme cases? People suffering from chronic lung conditions should take prescribed medications to mitigate weather-related breathing problems. Common medications include:

Antibiotics
Anti-inflammatory agents
Oxygen
Bronchodilators

Patients suffering from asthma or COPD should use inhalers or medications regularly to control the inflammation and make their trachea less sensitive to temperature changes.

4. Adopt a healthy lifestyle

Besides avoiding irritants and improving the quality of air in your home, there are other things you can do to help you breathe easier. Adopting a healthy lifestyle will make your life better, breathe easier, and live longer. Some of the things you should do include:

Control stress
Maintain a healthy diet
Prevent any respiratory infections
Drink a lot of water to stay hydrated
Lose weight

5. Determine when to see a doctor

It is crucial to determine when you are required to see your doctor. Experiencing some breathing difficulties does not mean you need to seek medical advice. However, if you experience mild shortness of breath regularly, you should consider getting a diagnosis from a physician. If you already have had a diagnosis, consider trying home remedies like eating fresh ginger, quit smoking, or inhaling steam.

6. Exercise regularly

Being overweight can cause breathing problems, especially if you live in high altitude areas. Therefore, you should exercise regularly to lose weight and help your lung function proper. Remember, engaging in high-intensity exercises is recommended primarily if you used to smoke. Engaging in intensive workouts can help you improve the way you breathe while resting, sleeping, or working. You do not have to go to the gym because simple exercises in your home can make a big difference and help you achieve desired results.

7. Get vaccinated

Breathing problems can be due to underlying health problems. If you are vulnerable to flu or pneumonia, you should get vaccinated with flu and pneumonia vaccines. Getting vaccinated will help you promote a healthy lung and prevent lung infections. Although it is crucial to seek medical expertise before getting vaccinated, some people are vulnerable to flu, pneumonia, and other respiratory diseases.

Therefore, your location, occupation, and genotype can determine how often you should get vaccinated. If you have any underlying conditions, stick to the treatment plan to ensure you are healthy.

8. Meditate

Simple meditation techniques such as yoga can help you improve how you breathe. Meditation is a simple technique that entails focusing on your breath, thoughts, and body. Since there are numerous meditation techniques, choose the one that works for you. Besides improving your breath, meditation offers other benefits like mental clarity, less stress, and peace of mind.

9. Practice good posture

You can have difficulties breathing depending on how you sit. With good posture, your thoracic region and chest expand. The rib cage and the diaphragm also fully expand, making it easy for you to breathe. Practice good posture whether you are sitting down, sleeping, or walking to breathe more effectively and efficiently.

To relieve tightness in your back, chest, and shoulders, do exercises that focus on resistance, flexibility, and stretching to improve posture. Besides doing stretches, you can go for a massage or engage in rowing and swimming activities to stay active.

10. Improve indoor air quality

Did you know that the quality of air in your home can have a measurable affect one how well you breathe? If the indoor air quality is bad, you might have difficulty breathing or find it hard to breathe altogether. Some options include keeping the windows and doors open during the day, cleaning your house regularly, changing drapes, and cleaning your carpet regularly.

When it comes to improving and maintaining high-quality indoor air, there are other things homeowners can do. One recommendation is to invest in air purification in order to reduce contaminants like molds, dust, bacteria, viruses, smoke, odors, and many other pollutants.

Air Purifiers to Help You Breathe Easier

Air purifiers are a great addition to any home and make a positive difference in the quality of air you breathe. If you are ready to take your health to the next level we are ready to help.

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