Is It Possible To Exercise While Suffering From Asthma?

Asthma and exercising

It is well established that exercise of any form has plenty of health benefits. They keep your heart young and healthy, enhance mental health conditions and reduce the chances of being affected by diseases like blood pressure, diabetes, and other illnesses. This is about the general population. But, people suffering from asthma also tend to notice specific health benefits.

These health benefits include

Enhanced lung functioning. Exercising builds the overall stamina, delaying the time the person takes to feel out of breath.

• Weight loss can highly reduce the frequency of asthma attacks. 

• Improves the immune system's functioning. It in turn keeps the upper respiratory tract infections at bay. 

• Stable mental health and a positive attitude can also reduce the occurrence of asthma symptoms. 

Some additional health benefits of regular exercising include

• Higher energy levels all through the day.

• Controlled blood-glucose levels.

• Increased muscle and bone strength.

• Enhanced libido.

• Better sleep.

The best form of exercises for Asthma

We have learned from people with asthma that if they slowly increase the intensity of exercise, the chances of getting severe asthma symptoms are reduced. It is important to be wise when choosing the type of exercise you want to do. Going for movements that mainly focus on increasing lung capacity and improving breathing can be very beneficial. Any form of exercises or activities wherein a person has short periods of activity with rest time in between can work well. Exercising in this fashion permits the individual to be active, improves their stamina and builds strength without putting too much pressure on their lungs.

We are happy to share exercises that are best suited for people with asthma

Walking

Walking is one of the easiest forms of exercising. If you have asthma, you can rely on this without having to worry too much about your symptoms. Ensure you have access to pharmacies online in case the pollen count is higher on the day. Also, check for the weather conditions before you step out, if it is extremely cold, give yourself a break. Cold air can trigger asthma symptoms.

Swimming

Swimming results in inhalation of warm and moist air. This is particularly great for people with asthma. Swimming is also a great exercise that forces you to learn how to control your breathing. It is a subtle way of improving the lung’s health. As the stamina builds and breathing is improved, a more intensive fitness journey can begin to further improve lung health. Before you choose swimming as your choice of physical activity, be aware that chlorine can also trigger asthma symptoms in some people. Check with your online chemist or your general practitioner before committing to it.

Yoga

Yoga is a form of exercise that primarily focuses on deep breathing which opens up the airways. Controlled and rhythmic breathing patterns while performing yoga can help increase lung capacity while building muscle strength and overall fitness. Yoga drastically reduces stress and enhances concentration due to the nature of the exercise. Stress is proven to be a triggering factor for many people with asthma. Hence, managing it can be beneficial to control asthma symptoms.

Although yoga is the best form of exercise for asthma, it may trigger symptoms if you are crossing the boundaries. You know your body the best, so take it easy and do not get carried away. If you ever experience wheezing or discomfort, stop immediately, and use the inhaler. If you do not have access to it, rush to the UK pharmacy to get your hands on it.

Exercise-induced asthma

According to experts, exercise-induced asthma is an ancient way of saying exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB). The term “exercise-induced asthma” has created a misconception that exercise causes asthma. As per the available data, about 90% of people with EIB experience symptoms while they exercise.

The symptoms of EIB are similar to those of asthma and they include:

• Wheezing and coughing.

• Shortness of breath.

• Tightness in the chest area.

The most common symptom amongst them is coughing. Many people claim that coughing is the only symptom they experience. The onset of symptoms of EIB usually occurs after a few minutes of exercising and gets worse 5–10 minutes after a person stops exercising. It typically subsides after about 30 minutes. The primary cause of EIB is breathing in cool and dry air. The reason why exercising aggravates the symptoms is that a person who is exercising gasps for more oxygen, breathing in through the mouth and taking in cold dry air. While when you breathe in through the nose, the coolness and dryness of the air reduces.

Other EIB triggers are

• High pollen count.

• Smoke.

• High levels of air pollution.

• Upper respiratory tract infection.

• Recent asthma attack.

Ways to avoid asthma attack while exercising 

The best way to avoid attacks is to use prescription medication available at the pharmacy online UK. We suggest following the below steps to avoid attacks while working out

• Cover the face with a mask to avoid breathing in cold and dry air.

• Warm-up before working out and cool down after.

If you are struggling to get your hand on any required medication for asthma, use the pharmacies online to keep you safe and protected from severe asthma attacks.