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Breathlessness
Breathlessness (dyspnoea) is an unpleasant sensation of uncomfortable, rapid or difficult breathing. Some describe it as feeling puffed, short of breath or winded.
The way in which your lungs function may not be the only cause of breathlessness. It can also be caused by the way you breathe, your lifestyle, how you think and how you feel about your breathing. For instance, a worrying thought or stressful situation can make you feel breathless. Reduced exercise tolerance and cardiovascular fitness may also impact your breathing.
When you feel short of breath, you may feel the need to breathe deeper or faster. You might feel the sensation that you need to take a deeper breath, sigh or yawn. This is referred to as “air hunger”. You might feel as though you are not filling or emptying your lungs entirely and only using the top of the chest instead of your whole lungs to breathe. This can lead to pain and discomfort as the muscles in your chest are working harder to breathe. Breathing exercises can be used to break this cycle and create new habits to improve your breathing and reduce the breathlessness.
In some cases, medication or inhalers might be prescribed by your doctor to treat breathlessness. If you smoke, stopping is the best thing you can do to help your breathlessness. If you would like support with this, please speak to your doctor, physiotherapist, or local pharmacy for advice on giving up smoking.
Feeling short of breath can make us feel anxious and panic which leads to feeling more breathless creating a cycle of breathlessness. Below are some strategies to help you if you are feeling breathless.
Staying calm when you feel breathless and using techniques to slow down and control your breathing will help. Relaxation techniques, meditation or practicing mindfulness can be helpful.
At rest, breathing should be in and out through your nose. You should be able to “tummy breathe” using your diaphragm (muscle that sits under your ribs) which allows your tummy to rise and fall gently with each breath. Your shoulder and neck muscles should be relaxed, and your upper chest remains still.
Plan your day ahead and factor in opportunities to rest. Break activities down into smaller, more manageable tasks. Try to simplify tasks by making things more accessible around the house by putting objects you frequently use in close reach.
Try holding a handheld battery fan near your face to help you feel less breathless. Ask for support and help if you need it.
This is a technique used to slow down and control your breathing. After breathing in, purse your lips as if you were to blow out a candle and then breathe out for 2-4 seconds.
This technique can help when doing something that makes you feel breathless. Breathe in before you make the effort and breathe out while you are making the effort. For example, breathe in before you stand and breathe out when you stand up.
You might find it helps to visualise a square/ box to follow and slow your breathing down. Breathe in slowly at the first corner and hold for 4 seconds while looking to the next corner, exhale slowly for 4 seconds and rest with the breath out for 4 seconds before making your way around the square.
Some positions may help relieve breathlessness. Leaning forward is often helpful and there are lots of ways you can do this during everyday tasks. For example, sitting or standing and leaning onto a rail or wall. Use of shopping trolleys and walking frames can also help.
It is normal to feel out of breath when you exercise however voiding activities that make you feel breathless might make your muscles get weaker. This means muscles will need more oxygen to work which could make you feel more breathless.
As muscles recover after exercising, they adapt to use oxygen more efficiently. Therefore, regular physical activity can help your breathlessness for example walking, gardening, housework or going to the gym. Ensure to pace yourself when you are being more active and aim to be as independent as you can.
Pulmonary rehab (PR) is an exercise and education programme for people with lung disease and those who experience symptoms of breathlessness. PR focuses on helping people to better understand and manage their condition and symptoms. Your GP or physiotherapist can refer you to pulmonary rehab.
- https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/breathlessness
- https://supporting-breathlessness.org.uk
- https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/keep- active/exercise-video
Page last updated: 29 May 2024
Review due: 01 January 2026