How to Exercise Safely When You Have Asthma

One of the worst things about suffering from asthma is its effect on your efforts to keep up a healthy exercise regime. Being worried about making yourself out of breath or, even worse, the thought of doing something that brings on an attack by overexerting yourself can be real worries that hold you back.

Thankfully, there are many safe ways to exercise and maintain a healthy body with great fitness levels without risking aggravating your condition in any way at all.

Of course, different methods might need to consider how severe your asthma is and what triggers you may have, but overall a sensible, ‘slow but sure’ method will soon help you find out what works for you. The main thing to remember is that no matter how bad your asthma may be or how little it might impact you on a day-to-day level, you can always take some positive action to improve your overall quality of life.

Health overview

Before you start any new exercise regime, it is essential that you have a clear idea of your health status. Getting an accurate ‘health snapshot’ will enable you to tailor different types of physical activities to your unique needs and requirements while considering any limitations or restrictions that need to be put in place. 

Modern technology allows experts to give you all the information you need to create your fitness plan while making sure that you don’t push yourself too hard in areas that might have detrimental impacts.

Using online services such as the acclaimed Galileo health review can give you a true 360-degree perspective to help you create your exercise plan and work out how best to manage your overall ongoing healthcare self-maintenance. The beauty of this process is that it can all be done from the privacy of your own home and is 100% discreet.

Walking

When it comes to actual exercises that are suitable for people with all types of asthma of varying severity, walking can’t be beaten. From a gentle stroll to a speedy power walk, getting out and about in the fresh air is something that almost everyone can take advantage of in order to help their fitness levels.

Not only has walking been proven to increase cardio efficiency and combat high blood pressure, but it also encourages good breathing practices. What’s more, it doesn’t require any expensive equipment, training or other expensive outlay.

Yoga

It’s strange to think that only 50 years ago, yoga was relatively unknown in the Western world. Today, the benefits of the ancient Eastern methods of physical exercise are highly popular, and as there are so many approaches – ranging from simple, subtle movements through to more physically demanding exertions – yoga really does have something to offer for everyone.

For people who have asthma, yoga has specific uses, as so much of it is tied into the methods that you use to regulate breathing. This is one area where it is advisable to learn the processes involved from a qualified and experienced practitioner, as even some relatively simple and harmless-looking breathing exercises can cause unexpected effects for someone with a health condition.

Mild cardio

Cardio exercise is often thought of as being at the extreme end of fitness and training regimes, taking in such things as varied as long-distance running and heavy weightlifting. The reality is quite different, though, and once again, as many of the benefits of a good cardio workout come in the shape of increased lung performance and capacity, it is an area that can be of great interest to people living with asthma.

As already mentioned, something as simple as going for regular long walks can be seen as a beneficial cardio exercise, and walking up and down stairs is another simple variant that is open to all. Of course, there is far more scope than this, with various basic gym-based activities aimed at specifically targeting cardio activity and improvements.

Again, it comes down to how bad your asthma might be and what types of situations and activities trigger an attack. This is why there is no ‘one size fits all’ answer when it comes to the question of how to exercise safely when you have asthma. However, with a little research and thought, you will definitely be able to come up with a solution that is perfect for you.