Does exercise leave you huffing and puffing, panting for breath, and totally exhausted? Do you have difficulty in breathing while exercising? Then it’s time for you to get a medical check up done. You could be asthmatic. If so, make sure your instructor is aware of it. It has been found that the possibility of asthma attacks due to aerobics or Exercise Induced Asthma (EIA) has assumed alarming proportions today.

EIA could be triggered by any of the following:

• Dryness of the respiratory passage, especially in hot weather.
• Not taking prescribed medicines to reduce the chance of an attack.
• High-intensity aerobics, which may cause respiratory spasms.
• Dehydration because of improper diet.

However, you can avoid getting an asthma attack if you take the following precautions:

• Always drink enough fluids before the class.
• Take your prescribed medicine before the exercise. Also, keep your inhalator within your reach as a precaution.
• Avoid aerobics in cold, dry weather. Especially if you have a bad record of asthma attacks in cooler temperatures.
• Do low-intensity aerobics.
• Substitute jumping and bouncing movements with their low-impact versions. Running movements tend to trigger EIA.
• Try out aqua-aerobics. You’ll be able to test whether the reduced trauma and warm water help you in respiratory relaxation.
• Have a long warm up session of about 10-15 minutes. This will enable you to know how much your body can take.
• Always stretch and cool down. This will allow the body to return to cardiovascular normalcy.

Taking these simple precautions will ensure that your exercise session is healthy and happy.