Winter exercise can improve the body’s ability to adapt to cold conditions, making you stronger and less prone to illness compared to the average person. However, for individuals with more delicate respiratory systems, the dry and cold air outdoors in winter often ruins their outdoor exercise plans. In fact, by paying attention to some basic breathing methods during exercise, you can effectively protect your respiratory system from the harm of dry, cold air while exercising in winter.
It’s best to breathe through your nose during outdoor sports
A chief physician from the hospital’s respiratory department stated that when engaging in physical exercise in winter, you should consciously control your breathing rate, which ideally should not exceed 20–30 breaths per minute. “The breathing rate reflects the body’s exercise capacity. For those who have just started outdoor exercise, an excessively fast breathing rhythm often indicates that the intensity of the workout is too high. In winter, the air is inherently dry, and breathing too rapidly places additional strain on the respiratory system, increasing the incidence of pneumonia and tracheitis.”
When engaging in outdoor sports in winter, it’s best to breathe through your nose. The nasal mucosa contains abundant blood vessels and numerous secretory glands. When cold air passes through the nasal cavity, it can provide insulation and moisture, thereby preventing cold, dry air—or air containing dust and disease-causing microorganisms—from being inhaled into the lungs. Even when the exercise intensity is high and it’s not possible to breathe entirely through the nose, you should adopt a method of combined mouth and nose breathing, or slightly curl the front part of your tongue and press it lightly against the roof of your mouth, so that the cold air does not directly stimulate your throat and lungs.
Deepen exhalation to alleviate discomfort
When doing outdoor sports in winter, you should pay attention to adjusting your breathing method. This is especially true for beginners, whose respiratory systems, blood oxygen supply capabilities, and overall physiological activity are relatively weaker. Exercising at too high an intensity often leads to an increased breathing rate and more shallow breathing. If this continues, the depth of inhalation may become greater than that of exhalation during exercise, which over time can lead to chest tightness and difficulty breathing. At this point, you should adjust your breathing method by focusing on deeper exhalation, which will improve your breathing condition and reduce the discomfort brought on by winter exercise.