Hi can anyone advise me on what's best to help my breathing when walking in cold weather.
Update
I have found just a plain and simple neck warmer with an pull elastic thingy is working better. It gives more room to breath and warms the nose and mouth.
Hi
A scarf or mask that covers your nose and mouth is best as if helps to warm the air. If you’re out without one, make sure to breathe through your nose if you can (as it also warms air slightly).
Take time to ‘accept’ the transition from inside to outside if you can. Taking a few minutes to acclimatise may make you less likely to trigger. Slow and steady wins the race, so don’t try and push it too fast either. Sometimes starting at the pace of an 80yo and building up to your normal speed let’s your lungs adjust will less demand (even if you feel silly).
Take your pump before going out (especially if you’ll be out for a while). We all think about taking it before exercise (if that’s a trigger for you), but don’t think about it when going out into the cold (again if that’s a trigger).
I think that’s all my ‘tricks’ for the cold weather... my lungs and I are not a fan of snow! 😅 If I can remember anymore I’ll let you know
Hope that helps
Thank you great comments useful. But I'm looking for information on the right cold mask hopefully someone has the right information to pass on. I have seen some on the internet but scarf etc just make me feel restricted.
Try a Cambridge mask. It’s well fitted so show do the same as a scarf and also filters the air which is always a plus! I’ve heard very good things about it x
I have just done a bit of mini research on this. Sounds very good! And I am tempted. It is not clear to me if there is any technological difference between the cheaper (basic) sort and the more colourful and expensive.
My lungs do react on all sorts that smell or smoke - even once burned toast, not to mention perfume. Not to asthma attack level at all, but it is unpleasant. My main grumble is the fact that many of my friends now have woodburners, and they are, of course polluting, as they release particulates. So this could really help. At present I seem to be standing between not having irritated airways (woodburner not lit) and everybody’s need for warmth. It is an issue for me.
So this could be the answer! I wonder what they would say if I put a mask on as the are lighting their burner.
I have a Cambridge mask which I bought against pollution but I actually find it too thick and close fitting and it makes it hard to breathe (not asthma, just feels restrictive). Clearly doesn't apply to everyone though! I go for the scarfie look ie wrapping around nose and mouth, which seems to do the trick without making me feel like the air is cut off - just warms it. I find wrap around scarves in breathable fabrics best but have also acquired some (fake) furry snood things and have a wonderful fake fur infinity scarf which works well.
I am really sorry to hear this! Apart from cold I am thinking that something like this mask could help with things like woodburners. Too many people I know have them and they do irritate. Also the usual VOCs and such. It seems ideal, but maybe not if it is hard to breathe through. I will have to think a bit more. And perhaps be prepared to potentially waste a bit of money.
I think it’s getting the right size for you. I read a lot of reviews/FAQ about sizing and the most common feedback was to size up if you don’t like the tightness. It may be slightly less efficient as a filter but you lose the claustrophobic feel. I’m on the boundary of large/extra large for went for the extra to avoid that restrictive feeling. Will try it and see. Went for the cheap option so only lost £10 if I can’t wear it, but if it’s right for me I can ‘treat’ myself to a posher one when I eventually have to replace it! (After mentioning it on here 3 or 4 times I decided I should probably try it before promoting it 😂)
I do use it short term in the house for VOC exposure - just find it hard to walk wearing it. And walking is challenging enough much of the time without adding that! Though it sadly has not seemed to help much with scent attacks at work - but those would need a full respirator IMO!
I did also have an adjustable one (not Cambridge, random beans from Amazon) but had the same issue - maybe I need to play with the fit.
I wear a buff around my neck then pull it up over my mouth when outdoors you can get them on eBay expensive but worth every penny
Buff yes I have one but in cold weather I need a better setup. There has to be something better, maybe I will have to make something myself.
Oh I had to go out in the bitter cold on Monday f or hospital appointment ,granted I only had t o get down the drive and into ambulance but my buff really works for me .Hope you find what you want
Take. Care
I’m a knitter, so I’ve made a huge selection of cowls, suppose like a woollen buff. Last year I made quite a tight fitting one so that when I pull it up under my eyes, it stays there, it doesn’t drop as I’m walking. I think anything that you feel comfortable with, that covers your mouth and nose, should help. Oh and yes, like others have said, try to remember to breathe through your nose rather than your mouth 👍🏻
I have a scarfe problem: having grown up far north in Sweden, I can still taste the wet wool in my mouth from playing out in the snow as a child (I like snow, but I am not sure I would cope with it now -sadly. By the way, you get different snow up there, much drier than here.) My second one is that I wear glasses, and if I put either a buff (I have two) or a scarfe on reasonably tightly my glasses steam up and I reel about like I have had too much to drink. Can’t see where I am going. I have found a scarfe I can use that isn’t woolly but that doesn’t help with my glasses. Someone suggested a ski mask to me. Should be good with cold and be made so glasses don’t steam up. I haven’t had the nerve to try it, but if you do let me know how you get on if you try it.
Wax/soap of the glasses issue! Rub into both sides of the glasses until there is no smear (easier in a hot room for obvious reasons!) this will make them water repellent until you ‘clean’ the soap off (through normal wiping). It’s cheap and relatively quick and very easy to do! Hope that helps stop you steaming up (mine are due a re-soaping 😅) x
Interesting! What happens when it rains? Do you bubble up? (I will give it a go.)
Rain just rolls off like on a windscreen. Can leave a ‘trail’ but you can still see 🤓
Interesting! I will definitely give it a go, as I wear glasses all the time. (Just getting used to - or not getting used to - needing reading glasses, in addition to my usual varifocals, that has a reading segment/setting, but you have to line your eyes up. Until recently I always took my glasses off to read. I am now losing that ability. What a faff! Never on hand when I really need them. So I have now ordered myself a granny chain which I hope will solve some of it, and I won’t be so embarrassed about.)
Sounds good. Meant to say use hard soap not squirty! I started having to wear glasses last year for distance but due to a ‘lazy’ eye (doing 50% of what it was meant to) I was advised to wear full time. A year later and I still have days when I forget 😅
It will come!
I had guessed hard soap rather than squirty. I have worn glasses since my mid teens. The swedish part of my family ( I am a mishmash) nearly all wear glasses. I got my asthma and tendency to headaches, along with my Celtic build (shortish limbs) from the other, UK, side. I wish I had the standard Scandinavian long limbs, but it was not to be. Oh, well.
If you are wearing a wool scarf over your nose you might be breathing in fibres from the scarf which can irritate
Yes that sounds good but make sure to breathe only through the nose, keep the mouth shut even when exercising. There is such a thing as cold allergy, histamine response to cold temperatures is common, not only in the lungs but also on the skin such as itching when exposed to sudden cold temperatures.
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