Whether you are a beginner or a regular runner, follow these tips to reduce shortness of breath during your daily running.
During running, your body tries to meet with the increasing intensity demand. So, if there is too much carbon dioxide accumulated in your body, the respiratory system works harder by breathing rapidly to consume more oxygen. And when the carbon dioxide level is lowered, your breathing rates return to the normal rate.
Therefore, when you are coming back from a break, increasing the pace or running at an altitude, the increased activity can cause you to gasp for air, which is quite common.
But are you looking to increase your speed without shortness of breath? Follow the below tips.
Before running, you need to warm up for at least 20 minutes. It will prepare your body for the workout, by increasing your breathing and heart rate gradually. A good indication to know if your body is warm enough is when you start to sweat a little.
Practice some breathing techniques to ensure that your lungs can hold more oxygen during running. Shallow breathing will cause you to huff and puff during your running routine, as it resembles hyperventilation rather than efficient ventilation. Therefore, perform breathing exercises like alternate nostril breathing and diaphragmatic breathing to increase your lung capacity.
If you feel yourself running out of breath, take short walk breaks to recover. To make the process more effective, schedule your walk breaks before you become breathless. For example, you can decide to run for 10 minutes and take a walk break for 2 minutes. Be mindful and see if these interval breaks help reduce or delay the breathlessness.
Did you know that your running form could also be the reason for your breathlessness? When you slump over, you make it difficult for your lungs to breathe properly and take in more oxygen. Therefore, while running keep your shoulders back, and face your head forward to allow for unrestricted oxygen flow.
Be aware that the shortness of breath could also be a symptom of other serious health issues. Therefore, consult your physician to make sure you are not at risk of any health problems, before starting your running exercise again.
