Morning Breathing After 50: A Respiratory Therapist Answers the 7 Questions You Ask Most

"It's usually several small things stacking up. Lung function declines gradually after about age 35; that's normal aging, not a disease.¹ On top of that, the bedroom air is often too dry when the heat runs all night, a lot of people breathe through their mouth while sleeping, and many of us move less than we used to. Each one is small. Together, you feel it in the first hour of the day."

"It's the first thing I ask about. The EPA recommends indoor humidity between 30% and 50%.⁴ In winter I hear about bedrooms at 20%. Then people wonder why their throat feels like sandpaper at 6 a.m."

"My advice is boring but it works: buy a cheap hygrometer and measure. Don't guess. Owning a humidifier isn't the same as having the right humidity."

"Pursed-lip breathing, every time. It's the one the American Lung Association recommends, and anyone can do it.² Breathe in through your nose for about two counts. Then purse your lips like you're blowing out a candle and breathe out slowly for about four counts. The longer exhale is the point."

"Then belly breathing: one hand on your chest, one on your belly, and let the belly do the moving. Five minutes in the morning, by a window if you can. People feel silly for about three days. Then it becomes the best five minutes of their morning."

"I'm glad you asked this one. Habits are for everyday comfort. They are not for symptoms that need a diagnosis."

"I get this question constantly. Here's what I say. First: a supplement is not a treatment, and it is never a replacement for your medication or the habits we just talked about. Second: talk to your doctor first if you take blood thinners or diabetes medication, are pregnant, or have gallbladder issues. That one's important."

"Third: if you're going to take one, take one that's actually absorbed. Turmeric has a lot of research behind it, mostly on its antioxidant properties,⁸ but the NIH is clear that the research in people is still developing.⁶ And plain curcumin is poorly absorbed. The studies on black pepper extract (piperine) are the reason I tell people to look for it on the label.⁷"

"And last: give it time. People take something for ten days, feel nothing, and throw it in a drawer. That's not a fair test of anything you take daily. Think in months, not days."

"Fixing the air and drinking water first thing, some people notice within days. Breathing exercises and walking take a few weeks to feel natural; the CDC recommends working up to 150 minutes of moderate activity a week.⁵ And anything you take daily, you judge over two to three months. The people who do best are the ones who expect a slow climb and don't quit on the first bad morning."

"Same routine, every morning, in the same order. Consistency beats intensity. Nobody's lungs were ever helped by a perfect week followed by a month of nothing."