Everyday Ways to Support Breathing When Living With Asthma

March 20 2026, by Tatianna Gerard, 23 min reading time

Living with asthma can mean dealing with more than the occasional wheeze. For some people, it shows up as chest tightness, breathlessness, coughing, or symptoms that seem to flare when the weather changes, a cold sets in, or certain triggers are around. Asthma symptoms commonly include cough, wheezing, chest tightness and breathlessness, and they can affect day-to-day comfort in different ways.

The good news is that everyday habits can make a real difference. While asthma should always be managed with the help of your doctor and the right treatment plan, there are also simple things you can do each day to better support your breathing, reduce exposure to triggers, and stay more in control of symptoms. Good asthma care usually includes the right medicines, an up-to-date written asthma action plan, and practical steps to manage symptoms and flare-ups early.

1 . Start with your asthma action plan

One of the most important everyday ways to support breathing when living with asthma is to have a clear asthma action plan. This is a written plan created with your doctor that explains how to manage your asthma day to day, what to do if symptoms start getting worse, and when to seek urgent medical help.

Asthma symptoms can change over time. Some days your breathing may feel well controlled, while on other days symptoms can flare because of triggers like illness, cold air, pollen, smoke, or exercise. Having a plan in place can make it easier to respond early, rather than waiting until symptoms become more difficult to manage.

It is also important to know that an asthma action plan is personalised and can look different from one person to another. Your plan will usually be based on your own symptoms, asthma severity, treatment routine, and the triggers that affect you most. That is why it is important to have one prepared with your doctor, rather than relying on general advice alone.

What does an asthma action plan look like?

It will often include things like:

your usual asthma medicines and when to take them
which medicine is your reliever and which is your preventer
the signs your asthma may be getting worse
what to do if you start having more symptoms than usual
when to increase treatment or follow specific instructions from your doctor
signs that mean you should seek urgent medical help

Some action plans are set out in zones or stages, such as:

Doing well – when symptoms are controlled and you continue your usual treatment
Getting worse – when symptoms increase and you need to follow the next steps in your plan
Emergency – when breathing becomes difficult and urgent medical help is needed

If you already have an asthma action plan, it is worth checking that it is still up to date. Your medicines, triggers, and asthma patterns can change over time, so regular review with your doctor is important. It is also a good idea to keep your plan somewhere easy to access, such as on your phone, near your medicines, or shared with someone close to you.

2. Take your medicines as prescribed

Medicines play a key role in helping many people keep their asthma under control. Even when you are feeling well, taking your medicines exactly as prescribed can help support more stable breathing and reduce the risk of flare-ups.

One of the most important things to understand is that not all asthma medicines do the same job. Some are used for quick relief when symptoms appear, while others are taken regularly to help keep asthma under control over time.

Relievers and preventers: what’s the difference?

Asthma medicines are often grouped into two main types:

Relievers are used when you have symptoms such as wheezing, chest tightness, coughing, or shortness of breath. They work quickly to relax the muscles around the airways and make breathing easier.
Preventers are usually taken every day, even when you feel well. Their job is to help reduce inflammation in the airways and lower the chance of symptoms building up over time.

For some people, other asthma medicines may also be part of their treatment plan, depending on how often symptoms happen and how well their asthma is controlled.

Make it part of your routine

One simple way to stay on track is to make your asthma medicines part of your everyday routine. That might mean:

taking them at the same time each day
keeping them somewhere easy to remember
setting a phone reminder
checking before leaving home that your reliever is with you

These small habits can make it easier to stay consistent, especially on busy days.

If something does not feel right

If you are using your reliever more often than usual, forgetting doses regularly, or feeling unsure about what each medicine is for, it is worth speaking with your doctor or pharmacist. Asthma treatment should be clear and manageable, and if something is confusing, it is better to ask than guess.

It is also important to let your doctor know if your symptoms are not well controlled, if you feel your medicines are not helping as much as they should, or if you are having side effects. Treatment plans can sometimes need adjusting over time.

4. Check your inhaler technique

Using your asthma inhaler the right way is one of the most important parts of managing asthma well. Good inhaler technique helps the medicine reach your lungs, where it is meant to work. If the technique is not quite right, some of the dose may end up in your mouth or throat instead of getting deep enough into the airways.

This is more common than many people realise. Some people have used the same inhaler for years and assume they are doing it correctly.

Why inhaler technique matters

Good inhaler technique can help:

your preventer and reliever medicines work properly
the right amount of medicine reach your lungs
reduce how much medicine stays in the mouth and throat
improve overall asthma control
lower the risk of flare-ups caused by underdosing
make it easier to tell whether your treatment plan is working as it should

Different inhalers work differently

Not all asthma devices work the same way. The steps for using one type of inhaler may be quite different from the steps for another.

Some common asthma inhaler types include:

1. Puffers or pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDIs)

2. Dry powder inhalers (DPIs)

3. Soft mist inhalers (SMI)

Each device has its own method of preparing, inhaling, and delivering the medicine. That means the correct technique depends on the specific inhaler you have.

For example, some devices may need to be shaken before use, while others do not. Some need a strong and fast inhalation, while others work best with a slow and steady breath in.

Check out the full guide for using the right techniques with your asthma inhalers at Asthma Australia.

Common inhaler mistakes

Technique issues can happen with any inhaler type. Common mistakes may include:

not preparing the device properly before use
forgetting to shake the inhaler when needed
breathing in too quickly or too slowly for that device
pressing and inhaling at the wrong time
not breathing out fully before taking the dose
not sealing the lips properly around the mouthpiece
not holding the breath long enough after inhaling
taking the second puff too quickly without waiting if instructed
not cleaning or maintaining the inhaler correctly

What about spacers?

If you use a puffer (pMDI), a spacer may be recommended. A spacer is an attachment that fits onto the inhaler and holds the medicine after it is released. This gives you more time to breathe it in properly and can make the medicine easier to take.

A spacer may help by:

making it easier to coordinate pressing and inhaling
helping more medicine reach the lungs
reducing the amount of medicine that stays in the mouth or throat
making treatment easier for children
helping adults who find puffers hard to use correctly

👉 Shop E-Chamber spacers range at Aussie Pharma Direct.

5. Learn your asthma triggers and reduce them where you can

One of the most practical ways to support breathing when living with asthma is to understand what tends to trigger your symptoms. Asthma triggers can vary from person to person, so what affects one person may not affect another in the same way.

Common asthma triggers

Some of the more common asthma triggers include:

cigarette smoke and second-hand smoke
dust and dust mites
pollen and seasonal allergens
mould and damp environments
strong scents, perfumes, and cleaning sprays
respiratory infections such as colds or flu
cold air or sudden weather changes
exercise
pet dander for some people
air pollution
emotional stress or strong emotions in some cases

Keep track of what affects your breathing

If you are not sure what your triggers are, it can help to start paying closer attention to when symptoms happen. You might notice patterns such as:

wheezing more after house cleaning
coughing more at night during colder weather
chest tightness after being around smoke or strong scents
symptoms worsening when you have a cold
breathing feeling harder during certain times of the year

Read related article: What is Seasonal Asthma?

A simple way to do this is to keep notes in your phone or a diary. You do not need anything complicated — even briefly writing down what symptoms you had, where you were, and what you were exposed to can be useful over time.

Triggers can change over time

It is also worth remembering that asthma triggers are not always fixed. They can shift with age, environment, health changes, and season. Something that did not seem to bother you before may become more noticeable later, or a trigger that used to cause problems may become less significant over time.

6. Keep indoor air as asthma-friendly as possible

For many people with asthma, the air inside the home can have a big impact on how easy or difficult breathing feels day to day. While you cannot control every part of your environment, making your indoor air as asthma-friendly as possible can help reduce exposure to common triggers and support better breathing at home.

This does not mean creating a perfect home. It simply means being aware of the things indoors that may irritate the airways and making small changes where you can.

Common indoor triggers to watch for

Indoor air can be affected by a range of asthma triggers, including:

cigarette smoke and second-hand smoke
dust and dust mites
mould and dampness
pet dander
strong cleaning sprays
air fresheners, perfumes, and heavily fragranced products
smoke from candles, incense, or cooking
poor ventilation
household chemicals and fumes

Small changes that can help

There are often simple ways to make your home environment more asthma-friendly, such as:

keeping the home smoke-free
opening windows when appropriate to improve airflow
reducing dust build-up through regular cleaning
washing bedding regularly
being cautious with strong sprays, perfumes, and air fresheners
addressing visible mould or dampness as early as possible
using exhaust fans when cooking or cleaning
avoiding unnecessary indoor smoke from candles or incense

Be mindful with cleaning products

Cleaning is important, but some products can make symptoms worse rather than better. Strong chemical smells, aerosol sprays, and heavily fragranced products may irritate the airways in some people with asthma.

It can help to:

choose lower-fragrance or fragrance-free options where possible
avoid spraying products directly into the air
use good ventilation when cleaning
take extra care with bleach, disinfectants, and strong bathroom or oven cleaners
leave the room for a while if a product triggers coughing or chest tightness

For some people, even everyday household products can be a trigger, so it is worth paying attention to how your breathing feels during and after cleaning.

Dampness and mould matter too

Mould and damp indoor areas can be a problem for people with asthma, especially if symptoms seem worse in certain rooms or during humid weather. Bathrooms, laundries, kitchens, wardrobes, and poorly ventilated spaces are often the first places where dampness and mould can build up.

If mould or dampness is present, it is important to deal with the source as well as the visible growth. That might mean improving ventilation, addressing leaks, reducing condensation, or getting professional help if the issue is more severe.

7. Stay active, but do it in an asthma-smart way

Living with asthma does not mean you need to avoid exercise or physical activity altogether. In fact, staying active can be an important part of supporting your overall health and wellbeing. The key is to do it in a way that works with your asthma, not against it.

Know if exercise is one of your asthma triggers

For some people, exercise itself can trigger asthma symptoms, especially if the air is cold or dry, if symptoms are already not well controlled, or if the activity is intense. This is sometimes called exercise-induced asthma symptoms or exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

You might notice symptoms such as:

coughing during or after exercise
wheezing
chest tightness
unusual breathlessness
needing your reliever during or after activity more often than expected

If this sounds familiar, it is worth discussing with your doctor.

Ways to be more asthma-smart with exercise

There are often simple steps that can help make activity easier and more comfortable, such as:

starting with a gentle warm-up
building intensity up gradually
avoiding sudden bursts of hard exercise if they tend to trigger symptoms
exercising indoors on very cold, windy, or high-pollen days if needed
covering your mouth and nose in cold air if that helps
following your doctor’s advice about using your reliever before exercise, if prescribed

Choose activities that work for you

You do not have to force yourself into a type of exercise that feels difficult or unpleasant. The best activity is often the one you can do comfortably and consistently.

That might include:

walking
swimming
gentle cycling
stretching
yoga or light movement classes
strength exercises at your own pace

Some people do well with steady-paced activities, while others are fine with more vigorous exercise once their asthma is well managed. It is often about finding what suits your body and your symptom patterns.

8. Be extra careful during colds, flu and allergy season

For many people living with asthma, symptoms can become harder to manage during colds, flu, and allergy season. A simple respiratory infection or a high-pollen day can sometimes turn into more coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath than usual. That is why it helps to be a little more prepared during these times.

Colds and flu can irritate the airways and make them more sensitive, while seasonal allergens such as pollen can trigger inflammation in some people with asthma. Even if your asthma is usually well controlled, these periods can still put extra strain on your breathing.

Supportive tools and routines that may help some people

Alongside your prescribed asthma treatment, some people also find it helpful to build in a few extra routines that support breathing comfort day to day. These are not a replacement for your asthma medicines or your asthma action plan, but they may be useful as part of a broader approach to managing symptoms and staying more aware of your breathing.

Start with the basics first

Before looking at supportive tools, it is important to remember that the main foundations of asthma care are still:

taking your medicines as prescribed
following your asthma action plan
checking your inhaler technique
avoiding or reducing triggers where possible
seeing your doctor if symptoms are not well controlled

Supportive tools should sit around these basics, not replace them.

What about supportive breathing devices?

Some people also explore supportive breathing devices, especially if they deal with ongoing mucus build-up or chest congestion as part of their broader respiratory symptoms. One example is PEP or OPEP therapy, which uses pressure during breathing out to help support airway clearance.

A device such as Kan-Breathe may be one option some people look at in this space. It is an Australian-made breathing device that works on the same core PEP principle as other similar devices, using resistance and oscillation during exhalation to help support mucus clearance and breathing exercises.

Kan-Breathe™ mucus clearing device - variant of white and blue colour

Kan-Breathe comes with two interchangeable steel ball bearings (a small ball and a large ball) that you can use based on age and lung health.

This may make it a practical option for a range of users looking for a simple, drug-free breathing support tool.

Keep the role of these tools in perspective

It is important to keep these types of supportive tools in the right context. They are:

not a cure for asthma
not a replacement for inhalers or prescribed treatment
not a substitute for medical advice
best thought of as a supportive addition for some people, where appropriate

If asthma symptoms are worsening, or changing in a way that concerns you, the right next step is still to speak with your doctor.

Support looks different for different people

Not everyone with asthma will need extra tools beyond their standard treatment plan. For some people, good control comes down to the basics done consistently. For others, a few extra routines or supportive tools may help them feel more prepared and more comfortable in day-to-day life.

The most important thing is to build a routine that supports your breathing in a way that is safe, practical, and based on proper medical care.

Disclaimer: This blog is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms or have concerns about your health, it is important to speak with a qualified healthcare professional. The Aussie Pharma Direct team works hard to provide accurate, up-to-date information and useful content based on reliable sources, reputable health information, and relevant medical research, however, information may change over time and should not be relied on as personal medical advice.