Spring is here, but amid the colorfully blooming flowers and lush plant growth lurk triggers of pollen, mold and temperature changes. It’s difficult to enjoy the pleasures of spring when your asthma makes you feel like you have an elephant sitting on your chest. Here are five medication-free techniques to help you breathe easier this season.
Understanding Asthma
Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that causes inflammation around the lungs and airways. In America, over 24 million people live with asthma. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pains, wheezing and cough attacks. Some asthma triggers include food, allergies, the common cold, medication side effects, pollution, physical activity and stress.
While there’s no cure for asthma, you can create an asthma management plan that includes breathing exercises to prevent flare-ups.
1. Pursed-Lip Breathing
This method works for shortness of breath because the exercise gives you more air, making it easier to breathe comfortably.
How to Do It
Relax your body and inhale through your nose for two seconds, but keep your mouth closed — these can be normal breaths. Purse your lips like you’re about to whistle and exhale through your mouth for four seconds. Your exhales should be longer than your inhales.
2. Diaphragmatic Breathing
Training your diaphragm muscles can significantly improve your breathing.
How to Do It
- Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
- Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
- Breathe in through your nose, feeling your belly rise.
- Using the pursed-lip method, breathe out through your mouth.
3. Buteyko Breathing
Stress and anxiety can trigger asthma attacks, often leading to hyperventilation. While practicing medicine in Moscow, Dr. Konstantin Buteyko studied the connection between breathing and health. His techniques emphasize controlled breathing to manage anxiety and prevent asthma symptoms. Focusing on your breath reduces the risk of triggering an attack.
How to Do It
Sit upright on the floor and take a few normal breaths while relaxing your body. Exhale and hold your nose until you need to breathe again, then inhale. You should then breathe normally for 10 seconds before attempting the exercise again. This method should strengthen your diaphragm.
4. Papworth Method
More than 65% of children have allergies, and research indicates that allergy-prone people are more likely to develop asthma than their peers. Shortness of breath can be frightening for children, making early awareness and management crucial. The Papworth method combines breathing and relaxation to manage triggers.
How to Do It
Breathe in through your nose, letting the breath fill your lungs. Exhale through pursed lips or a relaxed mouth. Lastly, coordinate your breathing with relaxation and moderate movements.
5. Box Breathing
Also known as square breathing, box breathing relies on deep breaths to help you slow down your breathing.
How to Do It
Start by taking deep breaths. Place your hand on your stomach and feel it rise — that’s how you’ll know you’re doing it correctly. After breathing for about a minute, begin your box breathing exercise by inhaling while slowly counting to four. Hold your breath for a slow count of four, then exhale through your mouth for another four seconds. Wait four seconds before your next attempt.
These Techniques Will Help Your Breathing
Breathing techniques don’t replace your inhaler or medication, but learning control with breathwork is a natural stress and anxiety reducer. Practice these exercises daily, and speak to your doctor if a method seems strenuous. Breathe deep and stay calm so you can bloom with the flowers.