Breathing is one of those things you never have to think about. In, out, repeat—nothing to it. Heck, even infants can rock those inhales and exhales. It’s the easiest thing … until one day, your breathing gets thrown completely out of whack.
If you’ve ever struggled with shortness of breath after a virus or suddenly found yourself panting hard every time you set out for a run, you know the feeling (and probably wish you didn’t). Officially known as dysfunctional breathing, this maddening issue is actually much more common than you might think: Nearly one in ten adults have it, according to a 2019 study of adults in the U.K.
To find out more about dysfunctional breathing, I consulted Michael Marsh, MD, an interventional pulmonologist at Jupiter Medical Center, and Zachary Rubin, MD, a pediatric allergist and immunologist and the author of the new book All About Allergies. Read on to find out how this respiratory glitch happens, whether stress plays a role and how to reset your breathing to get back to a healthy rhythm.
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What is dysfunctional breathing, exactly?
In simple terms, dysfunctional breathing is an irregular pattern of breathing. It can include hyperventilating—when you’re rapidly breathing and exhaling too much carbon dioxide—shortness of breath and a feeling of “air hunger.”
When your breathing is out of whack, it can feel super uncomfortable—and even scary. “A lot of people describe it as feeling like they can’t get a full breath, even though their oxygen levels are normal,” says Dr. Rubin. “You might notice frequent sighing or yawning, tightness in the chest or throat, fast or shallow breathing, or feeling lightheaded.”
What causes this breathing problem?
It’s sometimes tricky to figure out what’s going on because “it’s not just one condition,” Dr. Rubin explains. “Dysfunctional breathing is more of a pattern that can come from different issues, like stress, asthma, reflux or even lingering effects after an illness.” The symptoms overlap with other health problems, and tests can look normal, he says, which makes it harder to pin down. That can be super frustrating.
Dysfunctional breathing is sometimes just a temporary, minor glitch—sort of a normal abnormality. “It’s not always related to a health problem,” Dr. Marsh says. It can even be a learned breathing habit (in other words, you get into a routine with it and can’t stop).
But in other cases, something medical is going on. These are the most common culprits:
Allergies and/or asthma
If you have allergies or asthma, you may be more likely to hyperventilate or notice air hunger. In fact, 25% of people with asthma—inflammation and narrowing in the airways—report dysfunctional breathing, according to a 2025 study. “Asthma can create a feeling of not fully exhaling, which adds to that ‘air hunger’ sensation,” Dr. Rubin explains.
But sometimes even regular old seasonal or year-round allergies can skew your inhales and exhales. “Allergies can block the nose and push people toward mouth breathing, which isn’t as efficient,” Dr. Rubin says. Keeping your allergies and asthma well controlled can make a big difference.
Post-COVID-19 infection or other virus
Catching a cold, the flu or COVID-19 can also lead to this pattern of abnormal breathing. “We are recognizing it more frequently, especially post-COVID,” Dr. Marsh notes.
In these cases, it may be a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, which controls processes in our body that happen automatically, like your heart beating. And, you know, breathing.
Stress and anxiety
Then there’s stress (is there an end to all the ways stress is harmful?). “Stress can shift breathing patterns subconsciously, leading to chronic overbreathing or shallow chest breathing,” Dr. Marsh explains.
Vocal cord dysfunction
Does your throat get tight when you work out? Do you sometimes feel like you’re gasping in and making a weird noise? Is it like you have asthma—only your asthma meds don’t help? You may have vocal cord dysfunction, which is sometimes called exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO).
In this form of dysfunctional breathing, the vocal cords close when they should open, leading to scary symptoms like throat tightness, hyperventilation and a whistling sound when breathing in. The condition is relatively common in athletes and is also seen in post-viral syndromes, chronic illnesses that sometimes appear after—you guessed it—a viral infection. An ear, nose and throat doctor (ENT), a pulmonologist or an allergist can help diagnose and treat it.
What can happen if you have dysfunctional breathing patterns?
Improper breathing is not good because it throws off the exchange of gases that regulates many things in your body. Every time you breathe in, the air goes through your trachea to your lungs. Oxygen passes into your bloodstream, and you breathe out carbon dioxide.
At least that’s how it works when you’re breathing the right way. “If you’re breathing too fast or shallow, you can throw off carbon dioxide levels, which can lead to dizziness, tingling, chest discomfort and even more shortness of breath,” Dr. Rubin says. “Not fully exhaling can leave you feeling tight or like you can’t take the next breath comfortably.”
How can you tell if you’re doing this?
Often, you’ll know that your breathing is off. Dr. Marsh says things to watch for include frequent sighing, chest-dominant breathing (instead of breathing through the diaphragm), the inability to take a satisfying breath or disproportionate shortness of breath with normal lung function testing.
How do you know if you’re using your diaphragm to belly breathe, as you should, or doing chest breathing instead? Here’s a little test:
- Get into a relaxing position.
- Put one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
- Feel yourself breathe.
If you are breathing properly, you will feel your belly rise while your chest doesn’t move. If you notice that your chest moves, you are shallow breathing, which can become a (bad) habit.
So how do you breathe the “right” way?
To build a healthy breathing habit, follow these pointers from Dr. Rubin:
- Breathe through your nose when you can, because it naturally slows things down.
- Focus on belly breathing (letting your abdomen rise, not your chest).
- Slow your breathing down. Take a gentle inhale and a longer, relaxed exhale.
- If you still notice irregular breathing, work with a specialist (like a respiratory or speech therapist trained in breathing techniques). Getting pro help can be a game-changer.
How long does it take to reset your breathing pattern?
There’s no instant fix to correct a disordered breathing pattern. The good news? “If nothing major is driving it, many people can start to feel better within a few weeks of consistent breathing retraining,” Dr. Rubin says. Still, it might take four to eight weeks to truly rewire the pattern, he says. And if you’ve had your symptoms for a while or if they’re tied to stress or post-viral changes, it can take a few months, he adds.
Getting underlying issues like asthma under control can help speed the process. Beyond that, consistency is key: Keep working on your belly breathing every day. Remember, Dr. Rubin says, “your body learned this breathing pattern, so it can also unlearn it, but like any habit, it takes repetition.”
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Sources:
- Zachary Rubin, MD, pediatric allergist and immunologist and author of All About Allergies; email interview, April 29, 2026
- Michael Marsh, MD, interventional pulmonologist at Jupiter Medical Center in Jupiter, Florida; email interview, April 29, 2026
- PubMed: “Dysfunctional breathing: what do we know?”
- BMJ Open Respiratory Research: “Dysfunctional breathing symptoms, functional impact and quality of life in patients with long COVID-19: a prospective case series”
- Respiratory Medicine: “Analysis of the breathing pattern in patients with asthma during physical exercise: A cross-sectional study”
- American College of Cardiology: “Dysfunctional Breathing in Athletes”
- National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute: “What Breathing Does for the Body”
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