Trying to exercise in cold weather (that includes shoveling snow!) can trigger problems if you suffer from asthma.
Experts believe that the cold, dry air of winter can irritate airways, causing the bronchial tubes to narrow. This can restrict airflow into your lungs! Adding exercise to the mix — your body’s breathing patterns change when you’re working out — can put even more strain on your lungs. For a person without asthma, exercise in cold weather may not be an issue.
But for a person with asthma, you could be looking at an asthma attack. You may experience coughing (especially during or immediately after exercise or exposure to cold air), wheezing, tightness in the chest, and shortness of breath.
You don’t have to suffer (and wheeze) through another winter! Here are some tips that can help manage asthma symptoms in the colder months.
Always take your medication as directed. It can’t help you if you aren’t taking it, or aren’t taking it correctly! And if your doctor has prescribed an emergency/rescue inhaler, be sure you have it with you at all times. It does you no good if you don’t have it when you need it!
* Try to minimize outdoor activities — especially exercise, if outdoor exercise in the cold weather triggers asthma problems. It may simply be best to move your workouts indoors until spring comes around!
* If you do exercise outdoors on a cold day, be sure to warm up. Spend a good thirty minutes warming up indoors before you head outside — this can decrease the chance of exercise narrowing your airways.
* If you do exercise outdoors on a cold day, avoid areas where you might run into other asthma and allergy triggers. For example, avoid busy roads where car exhaust can irritate your nose, throat, and lungs.
* If you do exercise outdoors on a cold day, keep your mouth and nose covered. This will help warm and humidify the air as it enters your nose and mouth — and can help reduce the chance of airway spasms.
* Quit smoking! Smoking can be especially harmful to people who have asthma.
* Avoid using wood stoves or fireplaces. Smoke and other particles given off while wood is burning can irritate airways. If your airways are already irritated, other triggers (like cold and/or exercise) can lead to a full-blown asthma attack.
If you don’t feel like your asthma is under control, it might be best to talk to your doctor. There are several different classes of medication available to treat asthma — before you have an attack and during an attack. Your doctor may be able to help you find a treatment plan that puts your asthma under better control.