Breathlessness

Feeling breathless is normal after exercise. But if you have a lung disease or lung cancer, it can make everyday life harder. However, there are simple ways to manage it and make your day easier.

What is breathlessness?

Breathlessness is when you have difficulty breathing or feel like you can’t get enough air. You might feel:

• Short of breath or “short-winded”
• Out of breath 
• Tightness in your chest.

It’s normal to feel this when exercising. But with lung disease, you might feel breathless even when resting or doing light tasks. This can be scary, but there are things you can do to help.

What causes breathlessness?

Many things can cause it, including:

• Lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 
• Heart problems
• Cancer
• Lung infections like colds, flu or pneumonia
• Low red blood cells (anaemia)
• Anxiety or worry
• Being overweight
• Being unfit

Tips to manage breathlessness

There are many ways to help control or ease breathlessness. Speak with your health professional to identify the cause and find the best treatment.

Medication

It’s important to understand the role of your reliever and maintenance medications and how to use them correctly. Ask your doctor to add medications for breathlessness to your Action Plan. If you don’t have an action plan, use one of our templates below and make an appointment with your GP:

Stay active and exercise regularly

Having a lung condition can make it harder to exercise, which can make breathlessness worse. Regular exercise can help you feel stronger, make daily tasks easier and reduce the chance of needing hospital visits.

Before starting any new exercise, talk to your doctor to make sure it’s safe. There are special exercise programs for people with lung conditions. These programs are safe, supportive and help you build strength and confidence. Talk to your doctor, physiotherapist, exercise physiologist or contact us to find programs near you.

Pace yourself

This is a simple yet very important skill that we can sometimes overlook. To pace yourself, try not to rush. Balance activity with rest. Slow down when you feel breathless. Change how you do things to lower the energy you need.

Don’t hold your breath to rush through a task and “get it over with”. This only makes you shorter of breath. Find a rate of breathing that matches your effort. If something is too hard, just stop and recover before starting again at a slower pace.

Recovery positions

Recovery positions help you relax and breathe more easily. With good posture, bend over or lean forward and rest your arms on your thighs, furniture or a wall. Ask your healthcare team about the best recovery positions for you. 

Relaxed breathing and control

Several breathing techniques can help when you feel anxious or short of breath. Learning these breathing techniques can take time, and to find one that works best for you. Practice them when you are not breathless, so you know what to do when you feel out of breath.  

The video below shows simple techniques to help you breathe easier. Use these techniques whenever you feel short of breath or have trouble breathing during daily activities.

One tip to help with breathlessness is to focus more on the ‘out breath’. It’s natural to try and get as much air as possible when you are breathless. But often your lungs are already full. Focusing on the out breath helps to make room for the next breath.

Manage your anxiety

Feeling breathless can be scary. Just remember that it’s not harmful, and it will pass. Try to focus on helpful thoughts:  

• I’ve had this feeling before. I know it’ll go away soon. 
• I don’t need to feel scared – I am OK. 
• I know if I sit and wait, it’ll pass. 

It’s common for people with lung disease or lung cancer to have anxiety or depression. If you’re experiencing any of the signs, need extra support or someone to talk to, please explore our support page for more information. It’s important for you to talk about this with your doctor or healthcare team so you can discuss your options.

Handheld fan

A cool breeze from a fan, open window or door can help. Handheld fans are a cheap, quiet and easy-to-carry option. Hold the fan around 15 cm from your face for the best effect, so you can feel the air on your top lip. Slowly move the fan side-to-side so the breeze covers your lower face.