What Is Shallow Breathing and What It Can Do for Your Asthma

Breathing is one of the main problems which with asthmatics have to deal each and every day. They have to cope with that annoying feeling of chocking and of significant lack of air each and every day. Yet, there is one method which can increase the amount of time between asthma attacks and can give asthmatic persons the possibility to breath normally or at least almost normally all day long. This technique is called Buteyko exercise and it involves an alternation of control pause and shallow breathing. 

Even though you are not willing to perform the entire exercise, you should at least try the shallow breathing. This technique, which involves the inhalation of small amounts of air each time you breathe, can really improve your breathing and can prolong the time between the asthma attacks. 


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In order to perform correctly shallow breathing, you will have to keep your posture straight and your chest in a natural position. Then, start inhaling low quantities of air through your diaphragm. Avoid filling your thoraces with air, as your interest is to take in lower amounts of air. Inhale no more than 2 or 3 seconds and use the same time in order to exhale. This will prevent you from filling your lungs with too much air. 

It is essential that you perform shallow breathing only by using your nose. So, whenever you are practicing this type of breathing make sure you keep your mouth closed. If by no means can you do that, use a tape to keep your mouth closed. This way you will be forced to breath only through your nose, which is extremely good for an asthmatic. 


Last, but not least, try to get used shallow breathing and replace your old style of breathing with this one. This way you will raise the level of carbon dioxide and will start breathing normally. You may not feel very comfortable with this at the beginning, but once you start practicing on a regular basis everything will seem much easier and in the end you will get used with practicing only shallow breathing.