How To Breathe When Running and You Have Asthma
Short Answer:
Don’t go too hard too soon. Gradually build up intensity. Warm up your lungs/breathing. Most asthmatics will develop symptoms within the first few minutes of exercising but after 10-15 minutes of exercise they will find that they can exercise with more endurance and stamina. For a full explanation on the science behind this, please read on.
Long Answer:
Most Asthmatics will not have sufficient levels of carbon dioxide in their lungs to handle very long exerting themselves. Their carbon dioxide levels will be very low to begin and once the levels further develop from heavy breathing shortly after commencement of exercise, the body immediately switches on the defence mechanism that is asthma (exercise induced asthma to be more precise).
If you can get past this stage, your body will start to produce and store the required amounts of carbon dioxide and consequently this will open and keep your airways open because carbon dioxide acts as your body’s natural asthma inhaler.
This is often referred to by athletes as the “Second Wind”. This is when approx. 10 or 15 minutes after commencement of exercise, the body starts to produce and store enough carbon dioxide to re-open airways and you can breathe much easier. You can exercise or exert yourself much harder without becoming breathless.
Here are a few suggestions on how to avoid exercise induced asthma. I suffered from asthma everytime I used to exercise for a long time before I mastered the following techniques. These techniques are based on real science and I would highly recommend them to anybody else who suffers from asthma when playing sport or exercising whether its basketball, football, soccer, tennis, karate or jump rope, it doesn’t matter these techniques work.
Before Exercising:
Do a few controlled breath holds this will build up your carbon dioxide levels.
Simply hold your breath for as long as you can comfortably without gasping for breath at the end.
Ensure you can hold your breath comfortably for at least 15 seconds. If you can’t its not recommended to start exercising intensively until you can, by doing some more controlled breath holds or by walking for 15 minutes and then resting for a few minutes before attempting another controlled breath hold.
Warm up your lungs like you warm up other muscles
Gradually build up intensity. Start off slowly, the time when most asthmatics will find themselves beginning to have difficulty breathing is shortly after commencement of exercise. Exertion before the body has a chance to build up carbon dioxide levels is not a good idea.
You want to try and get that second wind during your warm up whilst you are gradually increasing intensity, you don’t want to be having a full blown attack because you started out with high intensity before your body was producing the required carbon dioxide. Especially if it’s during competitive sport.
Before starting out the first thing to do is to check that you are breathing through your nose.
Start out with low intensity such as walking slowly, gradually increasing the pace whilst maintaining control of your breathing keeping it as shallow as possible.
Ensure that your mouth is closed, this is crucial during exercise because your natural instinct will be to mouth breathe.
If you feel yourself becoming out of breath or finding it hard to maintain nasal breathing, stop immediately, sit down, stand still or walk around slowly. Focus on bringing your breathing back under control in and out only through your nose.
When Exercising:
Breathe through your nose (If you feel the need to breathe through your mouth then you should stop, until you can return to nasal breathing).
Never allow your breathing to become out of control.
Do not try to increase your breathing rate, but do the opposite and try and slow it down.
If you follow these simple guidelines or rules you will not have to worry about playing sport or exercising and having asthmatic symptoms.
When you master these rules and are an accomplished nasal and shallow breather, you will enjoy many other health benefits along with being asthma free.
These Benefits Include:
Increased oxygenation at the cellular level, resulting in better performance both mentally and physically, stronger endurance and speedier recovery time.
Minimize lactic acid build up.
Minimize dehydration by eliminating mouth breathing which causes excess water loss.
More open and relaxed airways as your carbon dioxide levels are optimized.
Increased stamina and general fitness.
Increased metabolism
Optimized blood pH levels
YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE A RESCUE INHALER ON HAND IN CASE. GOOD LUCK…ASTHMA SHOULD NOT PREVENT YOU DOING ANYTHING. MANY GREAT ATHLETES ALSO SUFFER ASTHMA, INCLUDING DAVID BECKHAM, JUSTINE HENIN, DENNIS RODMAN.
Source:
More Free Asthma Control Tips: http://www.howtocureasthmanaturally.com
