Managing Stress While Living With Asthma: Where Do I Even Start?

Living with asthma can be stressful, and stress can make asthma worse. Practicing stress-reduction techniques and taking steps to manage asthma can help break the cycle.

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that involves shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing. It’s caused by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, and it can range in severity from mild to life threatening.

If you live with asthma, you’re not alone. More than 25 million people in the United States are also living with this noncommunicable respiratory condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

Many things can trigger asthma and cause your symptoms to worsen. Common triggers include:

• respiratory infections
• exercise
• mold
• pests
• pet dander
• pollen
• extreme weather conditions

Strong emotions and stress can also be major asthma triggers, according to the American Lung Association.

According to a 2020 study, long-term stress in early life is associated with an increased risk of developing asthma. And both acute and chronic stress may exacerbate symptoms in those already living with the condition.

Preventable medical errors kill about 22,000 patients a year, according to research from the Yale School of Medicine. That’s much less than a previously reported number of 250,000 deaths a year where medical error is to blame.

Life can be stressful — and asthma can add to that stress. So, how do you manage stress when you have asthma, especially if it’s a known trigger for you?

Asthma is often unpredictable. You can never fully know when or where you might experience respiratory symptoms, or what specific symptoms you might have.

Tamara Hubbard, a licensed professional counselor and allied health member of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), explains that both physical and mental stress are part of the package.

Apprehension about symptoms can lead to social avoidance, feelings of embarrassment, and fear of stigmatization on top of your physical discomfort.

Dr. Sandeep Gupta, a pulmonologist with Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas, adds that chronic asthma brings chronic stress.

“Missed work days and expenses for medical care can have significant financial implications,” he says.

Stress may also affect your ability to follow your asthma treatment plan. Gupta notes that not sticking to treatment plans can make your health decline further.

You may also experience stress due to having avoid triggers, such as certain foods or environmental allergens. If your asthma is severe, there’s the added pressure of always needing to be prepared for a respiratory emergency.

Forgot to bring your inhaler with you? Talk about a huge jump in stress and apprehension.

Types of stress

Stress isn’t inherently bad. It’s your body’s response to challenges. How long it sticks around and why it’s there, however, matters.

Stress can be broadly divided into two types:

• Eustress is stress that’s a positive force in your life, driving you to grow or achieve goals.
• Distress is stress that negatively affects you physically, psychologically, or both.

Stress can be short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic). Acute stress helps give you a physiological boost to overcome obstacles. Those changes in your body aren’t meant to stick around forever, though, and if stress becomes chronic, they can start to compromise your health.