Pushing too far?

[ladyumbra]

err Hope this is actually the best section for this.

Anyways my Issue is that when I workout i heat up ( lol yes i know everyone does) but that after a certain point my asthma kicks in and I just can't push further becuase I'm so hot and my lungs can't drawn in enough breath. Today I had the bright idea of turning the fan on me so I don't heat up as much and can go longer.

Is it ok to do this or am I hurting my body by pushing it past the point where it normally wanted a break and showed signs from stress of overheating?

 

[Mitch1234]

I find every gym I have been to has fans blowing over the people on the cardio machines. If you live in a hot climate (where I live it reaches 50C/122F in summer) you have to find ways to help regulate body temperature during exercise, such as using fans, choosing 'cooler' sports like swimming or picking cooler times of day (such as early morning) to exercise. I would think most ways of keeping yourself cool would be beneficial and it actually helps prevent damage from overheating.

The part that has me concerned is that you mention asthma. I would consult a doctor before starting any exercise problem if you have any serious medical condition, especially ones that can become aggravated with exercise. I would also be cautious about following medical advice you recieve online as we know very little about you or your condition.

 

[Qael]

There is no harm per se in turning the fan to you in order to control the heat of your body. Sometimes this may stop your body from warning you about overheating, but I don't think that's the case for you (though I can't really tell).

Because you have asthma and link that to what you're feeling, it is likely that the problem is not because of failure of heat control mechanisms.

When you workout your body needs more oxygen for the muscles to work. So, what your body does is increase heart rate (to quicken the path of oxygen from the lungs to your muscles, among other things) and increase breathing rate, to increase the amount of oxygen captured.

Because you have asthma you can't capture quite enough oxygen, that's why you become breathless. And because one of the ways your body releases heat is through releasing hot air, you also get warmer.

This is dangerous, because without oxygen important parts of your body get damaged, namely the brain and the heart (stroke, infarct).

You should have the fan on, especially in hot climates, like Mitch said. But don't turn the fan to yourself. And you should really consult your doctor. He may give you specific advises no one else can give you (because we don't know your clinical history). He can also give you some medication.

Meanwhile, do only light exercise. And don't worry, even light exercise burns calories! And some studies show that it improves asthma too If possible, do exercise outdoors at a pine forest, because trials show that your airways expand in this type of forest and that may help you breathe (unless, of course, you are allergic, in which case forget what I said).

 

[ladyumbra]

Thanks both of you for your responses.

I haven't seen my family doctor in 5 years now I think and since i've moved hours away I'd have to start looking for a new one. I will probably look into that soon.

Hehe pollen allergies about with me and for some reason also fresh cut grass. It's hard to know in certain forests which plants make me sneeze and which don't.

For know I'll stick with multiple short sessions of ddr and using my stepper on a limited basis with the fan oscillating so the room is cool but the cold isn't centered on me.

 

[txsqlchick]

I'm the same as the OP...my asthma acts up when my body temperature goes up.

This is why Texas summers are so suffocating...I literally have trouble breathing when it's extremely hot and humid, so I spend a lot of time indoors.

I find I can work out without wheezing if cool air is directed at me, or if I can at least catch a draft. If I get to the gym early enough every day, I can snag the only elliptical machine that catches a draft. Someone was on it today though.