If you have asthma, the pressures of work, family responsibilities, commuting — even the constant bombardment of social media and the news — can add more than stress to your life. They can also affect your asthma.
At Wasatch Peak Family Practice in Layton, Utah, we often see how the stresses of daily life can make asthma symptoms worse for our patients. Our board-certified providers specialize in personalized asthma care and are familiar with the connection between asthma and lifestyle factors, like stress.
We’re committed to helping our asthma patients understand and navigate these challenges so that you can enjoy the best quality of life possible. Keep reading to learn more about how stress affects asthma and how we can help.
Asthma is more than just a temporary breathing issue. It’s a chronic lung condition that affects millions of people.
Imagine your airways as tunnels that guide the air in and out of your lungs. With asthma, these tunnels become narrow and inflamed and produce extra mucus.
It's like trying to breathe through a straw that's being pinched at both ends. When asthma flares, you experience symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.
Different triggers can cause such flare-ups, including allergies, illness, emotional stress, changes in the weather, environmental factors (like smog), physical exercise, certain medicines, and even some foods.
So how, exactly, does stress relate to asthma? When stressed, our bodies go into "fight or flight" mode. This causes the release of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
These hormones can make the walls of your airways more inflamed and sensitive to triggers. As a result, you might experience an asthma attack or worsening symptoms.
The constant stress of modern life, whether from work pressures, family obligations, or the relentless news cycle, can make this situation even worse. Chronic stress leads to chronic inflammation, which can exacerbate asthma and make treatment more challenging.
At Wasatch Peak Family Practice, we know a one-size-fits-all approach to asthma management isn’t the right solution. Our team takes time to understand your lifestyle, personal triggers (including stress!), and overall health to create a customized strategy.
Treatment options often include long-term control medications, quick-relief inhalers, and importantly, lifestyle changes like learning and using healthy stress-management techniques. These might range from meditation and deep-breathing exercises to cognitive behavioral therapy or structured physical activities.
It’s nearly impossible to avoid stress in today’s modern world. By working with an asthma specialist, you're not just treating symptoms, you're also addressing the root cause and learning how to breathe easier in a stress-filled world.
Our providers are here to support you every step of the way, helping you to take control of both your asthma and your stress.
For help managing asthma, schedule an appointment online or over the phone with a team member at Wasatch Peak Family Practice.
