Why is it so bad to breathe in a mask? And what can I do to make it easier to breathe?

During the conference of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health on April 28, we learned that the government is considering lifting the obligation to cover the mouth and nose outside. The tentative date for this revision is May 15. This is a message greeted with joy, as many people find it difficult to breathe while wearing the mask. Why is it like that?

1. According to the announcement of Minister Niedzielski, any loosening of the obligation to wear masks applies only to open space. The order will remain in effect for a long time in closed rooms
2. Summer is ahead of us, and during warm and hot days, breathing in a mask is especially tiring for many people. Why? Scientists have an explanation
3. The latest study also suggests what to do to make it easier for us to breathe in the mask
4. More current information can be found on the Onet homepage.

Difficult breathing in a mask – scientists’ conclusions

Face mask wearers often complain that it is difficult for them to breathe through the material covering the mouth and nose. Scientists from the Miami VA Medical Center and the University Hospital in Miami decided to check if this was the case. To this end, they examined 15 people suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and a group of 15 doctors. During the study, oxygen saturation and carbon dioxide levels were monitored in all participants during 30 minutes of wearing a surgical mask and after a six-minute walk.

Although we did not measure changes in tidal volume or minute ventilation, our data indicates that wearing a surgical mask does not significantly affect gas exchange even in patients with severe lung disease, the study concluded in ATS Journals. The same applies to FFP2 masks. Here, the level of carbon dioxide may rise, but it will still remain at a normal level.

Why is it so hard to breathe in a mask? It’s about the psyche

Research by scientists has shown that the discomfort experienced by some people while wearing the mask is psychological. It can be associated with anxiety, claustrophobia, and it can even be a neurological reaction when warmer than usual air touches your face. Hence the subjective feeling that it is harder to breathe.

1. Check also: The doctor advises how to breathe in a mask. Proven ways

Christopher Ewing, a lung disease expert in Alberta, Canada, told Discover magazine that the inactivity of breathing in a mask is also problematic.

– Most of us are not used to wearing a face mask, so wearing it may cause some anxiety or discomfort. It is true that we usually breathe unconsciously, but our brain also affects the breathing process. When we feel an inconvenience, even subconsciously, it changes the way we breathe, Christopher Ewing explained.

As a result, we can breathe too fast or too slowly, resulting in dizziness or shortness of breath. Ewing, however, suggested how to solve this problem. Contrary to appearances, it is not that difficult. In his opinion, it’s a skill that just needs to be learned. It should be based, for example, on exercises using the diaphragm. Breathing in this way allows for optimal oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange, it also helps to normalize the heart rate and lower blood pressure. Just a few minutes of diaphragm breathing can be helpful in learning to breathe through a protective mask. It is also important that you breathe through your nose, not your mouth. Then the air enters the body, which is moistened, purified, and at the same time optimally heated.

1. Prof. Cook: the better the mask, the harder it is to breathe

When is a mask no longer necessary? New CDC Guidelines

In Poland, the obligation to cover the mouth and nose in the open air will probably cease to apply on May 15. In turn, the US developed new guidelines on who must wear a mask and when. Thus, unvaccinated people can expose their nose and mouth in two situations:

1. when practicing outdoor sports (including walking) in the company of people from your household. On condition, however, that you keep your distance from other people
2. in small outdoor gatherings with friends or family, provided that friends or family have already been fully vaccinated

In turn, people who are already fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can afford to breathe freely while:

1. doing sports outdoors
2. small outdoor gatherings, even if unvaccinated people are also present
3. eating in an open-air restaurant, also with people outside your household

In other social situations (such as visiting a hairdresser or church), the CDC still recommends covering your mouth and nose with a mask.

At medonetmarket.pl, you can order reusable protective masks made of a material that drains moisture well, without causing chafing and excessive sweating. Various colors and sizes are available.

Also read:

1. The severe course of COVID-19 may be associated with dental diseases. Many people have them
2. Myocarditis after the Pfizer vaccine? Israel is investigating
3. The doctor explains why so many Poles die of COVID-19
4. Do you have these symptoms after vaccination? Contact your doctor
5. Current vaccination schedule. When is your turn?

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