Breathing Difficulties and Exercise

No standard definition exists for "breathing difficulties". For some, a sense of breathlessness may occur with only mild exercise (for example, climbing stairs) without meaning that there is a specific disease. Others may have advanced lung disease and difficulty exchanging air, but never feel a sensation of shortness of breath.

In some circumstances, a small degree of breathing difficulty may be normal. Severe nasal obstruction is one example. Strenuous exercise, especially when a person does not exercise regularly, is another. And in some situations, difficulty breathing may mean the presence of significant disease that needs to be evaluated by a healthcare provider.

Exercise and sport that suite people who have breathing difficulties include swimming and yoga.

Swimming

Swimming is especially suited to people with exercise-induced bronchospasms. Breathing difficulties can be induced during exercise by the cooling and drying of the airways. Breathing warm, humidified air can help prevent this. These are similar to the conditions experienced during swimming.

Swimming has definite benefits in improving fitness of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. It is often recommended as a form of exercise for children with breathing difficulties like asthma. Some Olympic-class swimmers, such as Sam Riley of Australia, started swimming to help with their asthma symptoms, with excellent results. Once they stopped swimming competitively, the breathing problems returned.

Whilst swimming is generally beneficial, there are some areas to be aware of:

The rhythmic breathing while swimming may trigger breathing problems. If you find this to be the case an effective solution can be to use a snorkel;

It is also worth noting that exposure to airborne chloramines in indoor chlorinated swimming pools can induce breathing difficulties. Health problems of swimmers in indoor pools have traditionally been attributed to the chlorine in the water. Chlorine reacts with proteins to form chloramines; the most volatile and prevalent in the air above swimming pools is nitrogen trichloride, so you may be better off swimming outdoors.

Yoga and meditation

Studies conducted at yoga institutions in India have reported impressive success in improving breathing difficulties. Yoga practices can help breathing difficulties by improving breathing and the respiratory function, reducing mucus accumulation, controlling anxiety, and calming the mind. Physicians have also found improved concentration abilities and yoga meditation together with the practice of simple postures and breath control makes treatment more effective. Yoga practice may also result in a greater reduction in anxiety than drug therapy. Doctors believe that yoga practice helps patients by enabling them to gain access to their own internal experience and increased self-awareness. A type of meditation based on yoga may ease your breathing difficulties.

Simple relaxation techniques and exercise can help regulate breathing patterns and also improve lung function. As a result, yoga may help to manage your breathing condition by easing symptoms.

The yoga approach is ideal in the treatment of any bronchial problems as the breath is the thread that runs through the entire practice of yoga. The following important aspects of breathing are taken into account:

The breathing apparatus - the nostrils - importance of nose breathing as against mouth breathing; the nose as warming chamber, humidifier, air-conditioning system; the "bronchial tree"; lungs; diaphragm.
The breathing rate - how many breaths do you take to the minute?
The importance of rhythm.
The importance of good posture.
The quality of breath.
Co-ordination of breath and movement.
The full potential of the lungs is achieved.
Control of the Autonomic Nervous System, which deals with the opening of the bronchial tubes during inhalation and the closure of the bronchial tubes during exhalation.
Yoga helps to strengthen the respiratory system.
The exercises and body postures (asanas) relax the breathing muscles.
Inverted postures help to drain mucus from the lungs.

Panic attacks and hyperventilation may not be purely physical - they can be triggered by the brain and can be psychosomatic. Because yoga practice affects the physical body, the mind and the emotional state techniques are taught to overcome these attacks as they occur.