Around 1.5 million people in the UK suffer from asthma and need to be a bit more careful in this the cold weather – I definitely feel it as soon as I go outside. It’s my first winter with asthma so I have been looking for tips about how to be more careful while out walking in the frost and the snow and these seem to be working for me:
- Cold air can exacerbate your asthma, so cover your face with a good scarf as this will help to warm up the air before you breathe it in
- In really cold conditions, prescribed inhalers may not work properly. They should be warmed (eg, in the hands) before use.
- If you know that cold air triggers your asthma, take a couple of puffs of your reliever inhaler before going outside and keep it with you at all times
- Keep taking your regular preventer medicines as prescribed by your doctor
- Take extra special care when exercising in cold weather. Warm up for 10–15 minutes first.
- If you are going out and about with others, make sure they know you have asthma should you become short of breath.
