Management techniques
Breathing pattern disorder
Long COVID breathing pattern disorder is a condition characterised by abnormal breathing patterns that persist for an extended period following a COVID-19 infection. Individuals with this disorder may experience a range of symptoms, including:
- Shortness of breath — Persistant difficulty in breathing, even with minimal exertion.
- Hyperventilation — Rapid and shallow breathing that can lead to dizziness, lightheadedness, and tingling sensations.
- Dyspnea — A subjective feeling of breathlessness or an inability to take a deep breath.
- Chest tightness — A sensation of constriction or tightness in the chest area.
- Fatigue — Overwhelming tiredness that can be exacerbated by breathing difficulties.
- Cough — Persistent or recurrent cough, often dry and non-productive.
Breathing exercises
Practical breathing exercises
Watch the Long COVID Workshop with Patrick McKeown below, featuring practical breathing exercises tailored for Long COVID sufferers. This comprehensive video is over 90 minutes long and covers the theory behind breathing difficulties and effective exercises.
Benefits of nose breathing
Nose breathing has multiple advantages, including:
- Filtering out dust, pollen, and pollutants.
- Warming and humidifying air to prevent airway dryness.
- Encouraging diaphragmatic breathing and regulating breathing rate.
- Aiding in speech, voice control, and facilitating eating and drinking.
- Producing nitric oxide, which has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties.
Fatigue
You may experience fatigue. Fatigue affects what you’re able to do.
As well as for moving around, you also use energy for:
- concentration
- attention
- problem solving
- talking
- making decisions
Fatigue means you have less physical, mental and emotional energy to do these daily activities.
Activity trackers
Activity trackers (or diaries) are useful tools that can help you understand your activity levels and how they might be affecting your symptoms. They can also help you use the "3 Ps" (Prioritize, Plan, and Pace) to avoid the cycle of feeling great one day and crashing the next.
Here’s how to get started:
Fill Out the Tracker: Print out the activity diary and fill it in for a week or even just a few days—whatever works best for you. The more accurate you are, the more helpful it will be.
Look for Patterns:
- Are you sleeping consistently?
- How often do you feel exhausted, and how long does it last?
- What activities do you spend the most time on?
- When you're busy, what kind of activities are you doing (e.g., physical tasks, reading, writing, talking, emotional/social situations)?
- Do you balance activity with rest? What do you do when you rest?
Adjust:
- Prioritise: Focus on what’s most important for you right now. It’s okay if that’s just a few things. Include relaxation activities like meditation, breathing exercises, or gentle stretches. Consider asking others to help with bigger tasks or delay them until later.
- Plan: Schedule your activities in your tracker, including how long they’ll take. Don’t forget to include sleep and mealtimes.
- Pace: Spread out your activities throughout the day or week. Make sure to include plenty of rest breaks to prevent triggering your symptoms.
By using your activity tracker in this way, you can better manage your energy and avoid the ups and downs that come with overdoing it.