Positions to ease breathlessness

After having COVID-19, you may find you have continued breathlessness. You should monitor this and if it gets worse seek further review from your GP or 111.

These positions can help ease your breathlessness and can be used when resting or when active.

Exercises to help manage your breathing

Breathing exercises can help you manage your breathlessness and reduce its impact on everyday activities.

Breathing control

• Take a slow breath in through your nose.
• Try to relax your shoulder and neck.
• Allow the air to fill up from the bottom of your lungs to the top of your chest.
• Breathe gently out through pursed lips (as if you were going to make a candle flicker) to create space for the next breath in.

Breathing control while walking

This will help you walk on flat surfaces, climb stairs and negotiate slopes. Try to keep your shoulders and upper chest relaxed and use your breathing control. Time your breathing with your steps by breathing in for one step and out for one or two steps.

Keep cool

Make sure you have good air circulation in the room by opening a window or door. Use a wet flannel to cool the area around your nose and mouth. This can help reduce the sensation of breathlessness.

Breathe a rectangle

Find a comfortable position.

Look for a rectangle shape in the room you are in, for example a window, doorframe or TV screen.

Move around the sides of the rectangle with your eyes, breathing in on the short sides and out on the long sides.

Pursed-lip breathing

Pursed-lip breathing can be used to aid recovery of your breathing. It can also be used to control your breathing during exertion. It is particularly useful for people with emphysema.

How to do it:

• Breath in slowly for the count of one – ideally through your nose).
• Purse your lips as if you were going to whistle.
• Breath out slowly through your pursed lips for the count of two – breathe out twice as slowly as you breathe in.
• Let the air escape naturally; don’t force the air out of your lungs.
• Continue until your breathing slows and you feel back in control.

You may also find our managing breathlessness leaflet helpful.

Go to leaflet…

• Long Covid
• Managing your breathing
• Managing your cough and clearing your chest
• Tiredness and fatigue
• Emotional impact
• Communication and changes to your voice
• Food and diet
• Quit smoking
• Getting active