It’s winter, and no matter where you live, you are bound to have chilly days or downright frigid days. Cold air is not a friend to asthma sufferers.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, “If you’re an athlete with asthma, you don’t have to hold back. With proper medication and conditioning, you can participate fully in sports. But in colder months, you should take some special precautions because cold dry air can trigger asthma attacks.”
Besides using your asthma medications, there are several tips to help asthma sufferers during the winter months.
- Breathe through a scarf, or at least a tissue. This warms up the air before it gets to your airways.
- Do not exercise when you have a cold or other illness, especially an upper respiratory illness.
- Indoor swimming is a good exercise for asthma sufferers in the wintertime. The warm, humid environment is easy on airways.
- Do not exercise outdoors during frigid days. Indoors is the best option during the winter for asthma sufferers.
- Ten-minute warm-ups and cool-downs help the airways adjust to the exercise.
The bottom line for asthma sufferers is that the cold, winter air can be a trigger for an asthma attack. While it is often necessary to be outside, even just holding a scarf or tissue over your nose and mouth will help. Pretreating airways before exercising helps prevent bronchospasm.
Don’t let these tips be an excuse for not using your medication. With the proper medication and some small adjustments, asthma sufferers will get through the chilly winter months and breathe a little easier.
