does your mask have you feeling breathless?
4 minute read
a look at why some people may feel anxious and short of breath in a mask.
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if it feels like your mask is making it harder to breathe, you’re not alone. face mask “air hunger” — the feeling that you can’t get enough air is a common sensation, often exacerbated by anxiety and stress. and while it may be a scary and uncomfortable feeling, the experts say that’s all it is, a feeling. you get just as much oxygen whether you are wearing a mask or not.
a study published in october in the annals of the american thoracic society found that wearing a face mask has a negligible negative effect on oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. the study examined 15 doctors without any lung issues and 15 veterans with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd).
each participant performed a six-minute walk test while wearing a surgical face mask, with blood analysis performed before and after the walk.
the researchers also tested the participants’ blood oxygen levels at five and 30 minutes while resting with a face mask on, and found there were no changes of significance in either co2 nor oxygen saturation at rest. and while those with severe copd experienced decreased oxygenation as expected during the six-minute walk — finding it harder to breathe — this is was a result of their health condition, not any real lack of oxygen.
“however, as a group, subjects with copd did not exhibit major physiologic changes in gas exchange measurements after the six-minute walk test using a surgical mask, particularly in co2 retention,” the authors wrote. “[t]his data find that gas exchange is not significantly affected by the use of surgical mask, even in subjects with severe lung impairment.”
the researchers acknowledged that people who already have difficulty breathing, like those with lung conditions, will feel an exacerbation of that sensation while wearing a mask.
“it’s just like if you put your hand over your face and started walking up and down the corridor – it’s harder to breathe,” louis irving, director of respiratory and sleep medicine at the royal melbourne hospital told newsgp in australia. “if you’ve already got borderline abnormal lung function – where, as soon as you start to walk, you’re aware of your breathing – having a mask on will make that even more noticeable.”
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mask anxiety
but you don’t have to have an actual physical health issue to feel like you can’t breathe with a mask on. in fact, mask anxiety is a thing, especially for those with anxiety or a history of claustrophobia. sometimes, having something over our mouth and nose can remind us of past trauma and bring back sensations of fear and worry — it’s not the mask that is feared, but the feelings that come with wearing one.
in an interview with the cleveland clinic, dr. brian barnett, a psychiatrist at lutheran hospital in cleveland, ohio, describes symptoms of mask anxiety as ” a rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, chest tightness, sweats and dizziness.”
but it’s our brain playing tricks
the most important thing to remember in cases of anxiety is that the fear that is being felt is the brain tricking us.
“it’s normal to feel like we can’t breathe and want to take it off, says dr. jessica gold. “you have to teach your brain that it’s safe and that you can breathe.”
one strategy she recommends to make mask-wearing tolerable is exposure therapy. try wearing the mask where you feel safe, like your home, starting with a short period of time — even five seconds — and then working up to longer periods. once this feels manageable, gold suggests going for a walk outside. the key, she says, is to realize that you won’t die from wearing a mask or from the anxiety.
challenging anxious thoughts can also be helpful, says barnett. remember that health professionals have been wearing masks for decades without anything bad happening to them. he also encourages people to remember the benefits of wearing a mask — covid-19 is far more dangerous than the discomfort you may feel having your mouth and nose covered.
just breathe
even if you don’t typically experience anxiety, wearing a mask can be difficult — especially since it’s not something we are accustomed to.
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“most of us aren’t used to wearing face masks, and the sensation of having a mask on your face might make someone anxious or uncomfortable,” christopher ewing, a lung specialist based in alberta, told discover magazine. “although much of our breathing is unconscious and driven by our respiratory center, it can also be influenced by the mind. when we’re feeling discomfort, even subconsciously, it can change the way we breathe.”
and changing the way we breathe can have uncomfortable consequences. either we breathe too quickly, which is hyperventilating, or too slowly, which is hypoventilating — both of which contribute to feelings that can be mistaken for a lack of oxygen. it’s a feeling that’s not exactly calming.
but there are things we can do. first, become an efficient breather. ewing recommends a strategy called “box breathing” in which you visualize a box and trace the outline of the four sides in your mind while inhaling and exhaling slowly. belly-breathing is another tool which can help refocus our attention on getting air into the diaphragm as opposed to the chest which can add to discomfort.
no matter how wearing a mask makes you feel, doing so has never been more critical to our health and the health of those around us. but it takes practice, says ewing.
“it’s very similar to when you learn how to wear eyeglasses or use contacts,” he says. “the more you practice, the more you get used to it. same goes with masks.”
nick beare is a writer with healthing.ca
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