Listen to Your Body
While all of the factors above are daunting, you can take steps to improve your health. One of the most important actions you can take is to identify what makes you feel worse and what makes you thrive.
Accomplishing this task involves paying attention. From a medical standpoint, it may involve allergy testing or other diagnostic studies. A complementary approach is to simply take five minutes at the end of each day to think.
Sit quietly and think about how you felt during the day. Were there times you were stressed? Did you have to use your inhaler? Did you feel better inside or outside? Simply paying attention to the signals your body gives you provides you with important information about which issues you need to address first.
If you want be very clear about substances and situations that cause your asthma to flare up, keep a health journal. Record how you feel each day, List the foods you eat, activities, and anything else that stands out.
Over a short period of time, you will begin to notice a pattern. Once you know what causes your asthma to flare up, then you can take steps to eliminate or minimize those triggers.
Reduce Stress to Improve Breathing
By lowering your stress level, you will breathe better and your immune system will function well. Here is an easy exercise to do that provides rapid rewards.
- Every evening lie on your back, if you are able. If you cannot lie down, simply sit in a comfortable chair. Sitting in a recliner with your feet elevated is ideal. Sit in a place where you will not be disturbed. Turn off the television.
- Gently close your eyes. For a couple of minutes, just sit and breathe normally. As thoughts come, just let them drift away. Do not try to force them away.
- If you are restless, do some progressive muscle relaxation exercises. You can start at your head or feet. Mentally work your way up or down your body, tensing and relaxing each muscle. For example, if you start at your feet, gently tighten, hold, and release the muscles in your toes, then proceed through your feet, your ankles and so forth until you reach the top of your head. This can be very relaxing. It only takes a couple of minutes.
- After you begin to feel relaxed, place your hands gently upon your lower abdomen. For a minute or so, just let your hands rest there. Note the rise and fall of your hands with each breath.
- After a minute or so, begin to gently deepen your breath. Slowly inhale, as if you are taking in your breath all the way from the bottom of your abdomen. Gently exhale. Keep doing this for three to five minutes.
- When you are ready, open your eyes and sit quietly for a few minutes. Take note of how you feel.
The purpose of this deep breathing exercise is to boost your ability to breathe well. During the day, the normal stressors of life may make you unconsciously tighten your muscles, including the muscles of your chest. As your chest muscles loosen up, you will be able to take deeper breaths.
Deep breathing is grounding. It will help you to relax increasingly well as you practice this exercise. All of these actions are strengthening your immune system and uniting your mind, body, and spirit.
