Long COVID | Breathlessness | Managing the Effects

This article has been written and medically approved by Pharmacist Conor McSorley GPhC Reg No. 2223070

As COVID is primarily a respiratory illness, breathlessness can be very common throughout the acute phase and while recovering. Finding going up and down stairs or just needing to catch your breath when going for a walk, can feel scary and may limit your daily activities. 

What can I do to manage breathlessness?

Firstly, it is important to remember that everybody will get breathless when doing exercise which is challenging for us.

• Pace or plan your activities to prevent you needing to rush or do things quickly. Conserving your energy and balancing activity and rest is important.
• Breaking large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones may lighten your load and allow you to spread the activities throughout the week.
• Frequent short rest periods are better than a few longer ones, so plan for rests before, during and after completing tasks. Resting before you become tired is very effective to help conserve your energy.
• Do not overestimate what you are capable of – try short bouts of exercise or tasks first and build gradually.
• Do not stop the things that are making you breathless – just try smaller amounts of
• Read our blog on Breathing Control

Top Tips

• Try wiping a cool wet flannel on your nose and upper cheeks of your face as cooling around the nose can often help reduce the feeling of breathlessness.
• Expect some days will be better than or worse than others. You will not always experience progress in a consistent manner.