Shortness of breath: what causes it and how can you manage it?

What’s on this page?

• What is shortness of breath?
• What causes shortness of breath?
• What are the different types of breathlessness?
• How can breathlessness affect your life? 
• How can you manage shortness of breath?
• Information for people caring for you
• Where to get more support

What is shortness of breath? 

When you are short of breath, it may feel like you can’t get enough air into your lungs, or like you can’t catch your breath. Breathing may feel difficult or uncomfortable. The medical term for shortness of breath is dyspnoea.

What causes shortness of breath? 

Many people who have heart conditions experience shortness of breath every day. Heart conditions such as angina, heart attacks, heart failure and some abnormal heart rhythms like atrial fibrillation can all cause shortness of breath. 

These conditions may cause breathlessness for different reasons. If your heart isn’t pumping enough oxygen-containing blood around the body, your body responds by breathing faster to try to get more oxygen into your body, making you feel short of breath.   

Or if your heart isn’t working as well as it should, this could cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe.   

Other conditions, including anxiety, asthma, a blood clot in the lungs, cancer, or a chest infection like pneumonia, can also lead to shortness of breath. We also know that breathlessness  can affect some people after they have had Covid-19.  

When you experience shortness of breath, several things may make the problem worse: 

• Breathlessness can be triggered by physical exertion (such as climbing stairs, gardening, shopping). This may cause you to stop doing those things, so your muscles may get weaker, and you become breathless even more quickly when you try to do them.
• Breathlessness can feel frightening, and you may start having thoughts like “I’m going to die” or “I’m upset people are seeing me like this.” This may trigger feelings of panic, which can lead to rapid breathing, making your breathlessness worse.

If this sounds familiar to you, there are simple things that you can do, which many people with breathlessness find helpful. For example, try to stay active, so your muscles stay strong helping you to do everyday activities more easily, without feeling as breathless. Try to remind yourself that feeling breathless will not harm you.  

What are the different types of breathlessness?

For most people who experience shortness of breath related to their heart condition, there are two main forms:  

An episode of breathlessness that comes on suddenly (acute). If you have heart failure, this can happen if you have too much fluid in your body, which can build up in your lungs, making it difficult to breathe. If you have a heart rhythm problem, this can cause sudden breathlessness.  

Persistent breathlessness, every day (chronic). For example, if you have advanced heart failure you may feel breathless most of the time, even if your condition is being treated and managed as well as it can be.  

How can breathlessness affect your life?  

People with breathlessness tell us that it affects their lives in several ways. It can make it difficult to manage your everyday activities. It can also make you feel frustrated or frightened. But the good news is that there are many things that you can do to cope, so that you can live well with breathlessness.  

We often feel lonely and on the edge of things

Breathlessness can make daily activities difficult and stop you from being able to get out and about. It’s very normal to feel frustrated and isolated if you find you can’t do the things that you used to do. Many people tell us that it makes them feel overwhelmed, depressed and anxious. It can change your relationships with people and can make you fearful for the future.  

People who live with breathlessness have told us things like: “We often feel lonely and on the edge of things.” and “I am all the time worried - worried when this breathing will attack me again.”  

How can you manage shortness of breath?

Although shortness of breath can make things difficult, you can find ways to cope. Living well with breathlessness comes from a combination of accepting that your life has changed, adapting the way you do things, and continuing to take part in activities.  

Some people tell us that breathlessness makes them feel more isolated. That can feel difficult, so do what you can to keep active and involved with others – that will help your life be as good as possible. Remember that breathlessness isn’t anything to be embarrassed about, or that you need to apologise for.  

Information for people caring for you  

Even though breathlessness can have a huge effect on your life, it can be hard for other people to understand.  

Sometimes the effects of breathlessness can be difficult for the people caring for you. They may find it worrying to see you very breathless and will want to know how to help you. Having shortness of breath can also affect your relationships and make you both feel isolated. It’s important that people caring for you take time to look after themselves well and get support from friends, family, and also from professionals when needed.  

• Listen to people describing their difficulties with breathlessness. 
• Carers UK has useful guidance for carers or you can call their advice line on 0808 808. 
• Supporting breathlessness has information on how to support someone to live with breathlessness.

Where to get more support

• Doctors, nurses and physiotherapists can help you manage your breathlessness. Speak to your GP about your symptoms – they may be able to refer you to a local exercise class for people with heart conditions or to a clinic to learn more about managing breathlessness.
• We also know that for some people breathlessness goes on for a long while after having Covid-19. The NHS has helpful information about this.
• Hull York Medical School has useful information on breathlessness.
• St Christopher’s Hospice has information and videos to help you manage breathlessness.
• Cambridge University Hospitals have useful information on managing breathlessness
• View the Living with Breathlessness exhibition from Hull York Medical School

What to read next...