Feeling and expressing strong emotions may cause asthma symptoms if you have asthma. When you feel strong emotions, your breathing changes – even if you don’t have asthma. It is not the emotion itself that causes the asthma symptoms. Instead, your breathing changes during strong emotions. This causes muscles to tighten up or your breathing rate to increase.
Some examples of strong emotions that can trigger asthma symptoms are:
- Anger
- Fear
- Excitement
- Laughter
- Yelling
- Crying
Laughing is part of the joy of life and should not be avoided because of asthma. If laughter is an asthma trigger for you, talk with your health care provider about your asthma treatment.
Find ways to stay calm and express yourself without yelling. Remember to breathe deeply and slowly when feeling stressed, upset, or angry.
Stress and anxiety can trigger asthma symptoms. By properly managing your stress, you can reduce your risk of having a stress-induced asthma attack or episode. Studies show that mindful breathing and observation can reduce stress and enhance overall health.
