Have you ever had shortness of breath when you were stressed? this turned out to be the cause

Stress can affect many bodily functions, including causing shortness of breath even if you don't have a respiratory distress. In fact, some of them experience severe shortness of breath when under stress. So, what caused this?

The relationship between stress and shortness of breath

When faced with a stressful situation, your brain is in position fight or flight (fight or flight). The hypothalamus in the brain, the part that stimulates hormone production, then sends signals to the adrenal glands to release the hormones cortisol and adrenaline.

Both hormones increase various body functions, including heart rate in order to increase blood flow to important organs. Your breathing rate will also increase dramatically to meet the oxygen needs of the whole body quickly.

This mechanism is actually useful for preparing the body to respond to danger. But at the same time, stress hormones can constrict the muscles of the respiratory tract and blood vessels.

Breathing also becomes ineffective because you unconsciously inhale short and fast breaths, not slowly and deeply as in normal conditions. All of these changes end up making you short of breath when under stress.

Apart from being stressed, you can also have difficulty breathing when you feel panic, anxious, nervous, or even sad. These three conditions trigger the same hormonal reactions so that they have a similar effect on your body.

Is shortness of breath when stressed dangerous?

Stress is the body's natural response to a stressful problem or situation. Even short periods of stress can help you take quick action in critical situations.

Shortness of breath and other symptoms that you experience will gradually improve once the stress triggers are gone. As long as it only appears occasionally, shortness of breath when stressed is not a health problem to worry about.

The situation is different only when you are under constant stress, also known as chronic stress. This condition is characterized by stress symptoms that don't get better, or you always experience them every day.

Unlike short-term stress, chronic stress can cause problems for physical or psychological health. Apart from shortness of breath, you may experience chronic stress if you have the following symptoms:

• Excessive anxiety and nervousness
• Depression symptoms
• Easy to get angry
• Headache
• Insomnia

Shortness of breath due to stress can also be dangerous if experienced by people who suffer from respiratory diseases. Especially asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The reason is, this condition will exacerbate the symptoms of existing diseases.

How to deal with shortness of breath when stressed

The stress and shortness of breath that come with it can't be prevented, but you can try to relieve it with simple relaxation techniques. When stress starts to hit, find a quiet place to make yourself more relaxed.

Then, follow the steps as follows:

• Tighten your body muscles, then let them relax again.
• Imagine your muscles slowly loosening up and your body starting to feel heavy.
• Clear your mind of all thoughts.
• Let your body relax more.
• Try to feel the calm around you.
• Once the relaxation time is nearly over, regain your awareness by moving your hands and feet. Stretch your body, then get back to moving as usual.

Shortness of breath when stressed is triggered by the influence of the hormones cortisol and adrenaline in your body. This is a normal condition that will get better on its own. You also don't need to feel anxious as long as shortness of breath only occurs occasionally.

However, you should consult a doctor if shortness of breath persists or worsens symptoms of your respiratory disease. Further tests will help you find the right treatment.