The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has required people across all industries to wear masks, which means wearing a face mask will be the new normal until the coronavirus is under control.
However, some people find it hard to abide by the CDC’s protocol diligently. One of the top reasons for non-mask wearers is that wearing a mask makes it difficult for them to breathe. This is true for most people. Breathing through a mask is a workout because you use your smallest breathing muscles to do a considerable job, and along with breathing through your mouth, you are spending a lot of our energy just by breathing.
Also, most people breathe with their upper chest muscles and with their mouth open when wearing a mask, which is an inefficient way of breathing that can also add to stress and anxiety.
So, if you’re like most people who find it difficult to wear a mask diligently because of breathing issues, here are some tips to help you breathe more comfortably while wearing a mask:
Give yourself some time to get used to it.
Be mindful of your breathing.
While wearing a mask, try practicing mindfulness by focusing on the present moment. Direct your attention to how you breathe. Is your belly moving, or is it your upper chest moving up when you exhale? Are you using your nose or mouth, or both, to breathe? When you start feeling anxious while wearing a mask, try this technique
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Try touching your stomach or lower rib cage.
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Slowly inhale through your nose. You should feel your stomach and rib cage push outward.
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Exhale through your mouth.
By doing this technique, you are retraining your breathing muscles. Do this throughout the day, and you may start to become a more efficient breather with a mask on in no time.
Relax.
If you can comfortably move your body, try to relax your upper chest and shoulders by shrugging your shoulders, stretching your arms and circling it forward, twisting your torso, and bending from side-to-side.
Take a mask break.
Find a safe space where you can take your mask off, and take two or three breaths making sure you’re engaging your belly with each breath. When you’ve been continuously wearing a mask, you might find yourself breathing differently, even when your mask is off. Being mindful of your breathing helps you retrain yourself to breathe more efficiently all the time.
Keep your mask off when you’re in a safe space.
Stay hydrated.
It’s the nose’s job to capture moisture, so if you breathe through an open mouth, you can experience loss of moisture. Moisture loss can lead to dehydration and increase your feeling of fatigue. To prevent this, make sure to load up on hydrating fluids.
Mind your posture.
You could and should take your mask off when you’re in a safe space like when you’re driving alone in your car to avoid disorientation and confusion, which may lead to an accident. You can also ditch your mask when you’re at home unless someone in your home has COVID or has been exposed recently to the virus.
Use essential oils.
We will all be wearing a mask for a long time, so why not make the experience more pleasant by adding a drop or two of essential oil on your mask? Add a drop or two of diluted essential oil on the outside edges of your mask to keep your airways feeling open, prevent allergies and congestion, boost your mood, increase your sense of calm, and provide sensory enjoyment. Some of the essential oils we recommend are orange, lemon, peppermint, lavender, or eucalyptus.
Functional and fashionable masks
If you’re a face mask supplier who wants to provide masks that people actually want to wear or want to incorporate a face mask into your employees’ new normal uniform, LCR Services can make it for you. We are a high-volume cut and sew manufacturer, and we can produce face masks to your specifications. Our