Feeling short of breath or winded with minimal exertion can be alarming. However, there are many potential causes, some of which are easily treatable. Getting out of breath easily could simply mean you need to improve your cardiovascular fitness. Or it could be a sign of an underlying medical condition that needs attention. This article explores the most common reasons people experience shortness of breath and provides tips for identifying the cause.
What does it mean to be “out of breath”?
Being “out of breath” refers to the feeling that you cannot get enough air. It may feel like you cannot take a complete breath or your breathing is rapid and shallow.
Some key signs of being out of breath include:
- Difficulty catching your breath
- Gasping for air
- Taking rapid shallow breaths
- Feeling like you cannot breathe deeply enough
- Tightness in the chest
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
Shortness of breath that comes on suddenly with exertion and goes away quickly with rest is often normal. But if you feel routinely winded with minimal activity, it could indicate an underlying problem.
Common causes of shortness of breath
There are many possible medical and lifestyle-related reasons for getting out of breath easily. Common causes include:
1. Poor cardiovascular fitness
If you are generally inactive and do not exercise regularly, normal physical activity may leave you winded. Your heart and lungs are simply not conditioned to supply your muscles with enough oxygenated blood.
The good news is that poor cardiovascular fitness is easily improved. Slowly increasing your exercise levels allows your heart and lungs to adapt and improve your endurance.
2. Obesity
Excess body weight puts added strain on your cardiovascular system. When obese, the heart has to work harder to pump blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to the increased amount of body tissue. This added workload can leave you short of breath with minor exertion. Losing excess weight can help reduce shortness of breath.
3. Deconditioning
Being deconditioned means your heart, lungs, and muscles are out of shape. This can happen after an extended hospital stay, prolonged bedrest, or generally not being active. As with poor fitness, deconditioning is improved by slowly and progressively increasing physical activity.
4. Heart conditions
Many types of heart disease can lead to shortness of breath, including:
- Heart failure: When the heart cannot pump effectively
- Heart valve problems: Causing blood to back up in the heart
- Congenital heart defects: Problems present from birth
- Myocarditis: Inflammation of the heart muscle
- Heart attack: Damage to the heart muscle from blocked blood flow
With heart conditions, any exertion requires an increased workload from the heart, which can quickly leave you winded.
5. Lung diseases
Lung and breathing problems also frequently cause shortness of breath including:
- Asthma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Lung cancer
Each of these makes it more difficult for the lungs to deliver oxygen to the blood. Day-to-day activities can quickly lead to breathlessness.
6. Anemia
Anemia refers to having a low red blood cell count or low hemoglobin levels. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body. With anemia, there are fewer red blood cells to transport oxygen to your tissues. This results in easy fatigability and shortness of breath.
7. Obstructive sleep apnea
Sleep apnea causes interrupted breathing during sleep. The result is lower oxygen levels that can leave you generally short of breath. Seeking treatment for sleep apnea can often help improve daytime breathlessness.
8. Pregnancy
As pregnancy progresses, the growing fetus presses up on the diaphragm. This restricts the ability of the lungs to expand fully. Towards the end of pregnancy, shortness of breath is very common, even with minimal exertion.
9. Obesity hypoventilation syndrome
This condition leads to chronically low oxygen levels and high carbon dioxide levels. It occurs in some obese individuals as excess fat pushes up on the diaphragm muscle and restricts breathing. This results in shortness of breath that is worse with activity.
10. Dehydration
Being dehydrated reduces blood volume, making it more difficult for the heart to pump sufficient oxygen-rich blood to tissues. Drink plenty of non-caffeinated fluids to prevent dehydration that can exacerbate breathlessness.
When to see your doctor
Occasional shortness of breath that resolves with rest is usually not a concern. However, seek medical evaluation if you experience:
- Routine shortness of breath doing normal activities
- Sudden onset of severe shortness of breath
- Wheezing or difficulty breathing when lying down
- Need to sleep propped up on several pillows
- Shortness of breath combined with chest pain
- Lightheadedness or fainting episodes
These signs can indicate a serious underlying medical condition requiring treatment. Delaying evaluation allows the problem to progress and symptoms to worsen.
Diagnosing the cause of shortness of breath
To identify why you are getting winded easily, your doctor will typically perform:
- Medical history: Looking for risk factors and related symptoms
- Physical exam: Listening to the lungs and heart, checking for swelling, etc.
- Chest x-ray: Looking for heart enlargement, lung issues, etc.
- Breathing tests: Spirometry and lung volume measurements
- Exercise tests: Monitoring heart rate and oxygen levels during exertion
- Heart tests: EKG, echocardiogram, stress testing, etc.
- Bloodwork: Checking for anemia, kidney dysfunction, etc.
Based on the results, your doctor can diagnose any condition leading to shortness of breath and prescribe appropriate treatment.
Treatments for shortness of breath
Treatment depends on the underlying cause of breathlessness but may include:
- Treating heart conditions with medications, surgery, lifestyle changes, etc.
- Managing lung diseases with inhalers, steroids, oxygen therapy, etc.
- Treating obstructive sleep apnea with CPAP or oral devices
- Improving cardiovascular fitness with regular aerobic exercise
- Losing weight through diet and exercise if overweight/obese
- Taking iron supplements for anemia
- Quitting smoking to improve lung function
- Pulmonary rehabilitation program
Relieving shortness of breath often involves addressing any underlying medical causes along with lifestyle changes to improve your overall health.
Lifestyle changes to prevent shortness of breath
Making healthy lifestyle changes can help prevent and treat getting winded easily:
- Exercise regularly – Improves heart/lung conditioning
- Lose excess weight – Reduces strain on cardiovascular system
- Eat healthy – Provides energy, prevents obesity
- De-stress – Alleviates anxiety that can worsen shortness of breath
- Quit smoking – Improves lung function and capacity
- Practice good posture – Allows for full lung expansion
- Use a humidifier – Prevents airway dryness that restricts breathing
- Get enough sleep – Allows the body to fully rest and repair
Adopting healthy habits provides benefits throughout the body, including the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. This helps prevent easy fatigability.
When to call 911 for shortness of breath
Most cases of shortness of breath are not emergencies. However, call 911 or emergency services immediately if shortness of breath is accompanied by:
- Severe chest pain
- Fainting or passing out
- Wheezing or high-pitched breathing sounds
- Coughing up blood
- Blue tinge to lips or fingers
- Feeling like you are about to die
- Confusion or slurred speech
These signs can indicate a life-threatening problem needing immediate emergency care, such as a heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or pneumonia. Prompt treatment is critical for preventing serious complications.
Preventing shortness of breath
While not every cause can be prevented, you can reduce your risk of getting easily winded by:
- Exercising 30+ minutes most days
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Eating a nutritious diet
- Not smoking
- Learning techniques for managing stress
- Getting regular medical care
- Using prescribed inhalers if you have a lung condition
Conclusion
Occasional shortness of breath with exertion is common and not usually concerning. But routine breathlessness with minor activity or at rest indicates an underlying medical problem.
Many conditions – from heart disease to chronic lung problems – can leave you feeling routinely winded. Seeking prompt medical attention allows for accurate diagnosis and treatment to relieve symptoms.
Combining lifestyle changes, medications, and therapies as needed, most causes of shortness of breath can be successfully managed. Working with your doctor can help identify the reason you feel out of breath and tailor solutions to improve your breathing and stamina.