Do you get breathless walking upstairs? It could be a sign of a dangerous lung condition
The British Lung Foundation said feeling out of breath while doing day-to-day activities is not normal and could be a sign of lung disease
THREE in ten Brits are left gasping for air after walking up a flight of stairs and a quarter struggle to breathe during sex, according to new research.
The average adult is left breathless by moderate exercise and four in ten have had to take breather while running for a bus, a survey found.
Another 16 per cent admit playing with a child is enough to leave them puffed out and nearly one in 10 struggles to pick something up off the floor without needing to catch their breath afterwards.
And stress can also play a role – more than a fifth of employees have felt light-headed during a work day when stressed or under pressure.
Mike McKevitt, director of patient services for the British Lung Foundation, which commissioned the study said: “It’s worrying that so many people found themselves out of breath performing simple actions.
“Breathlessness doing everyday tasks could be a symptom of lung disease and is something that shouldn’t be ignored.
“There are many people in the UK who may have a lung disease but do not have a diagnosis - who feel breathless daily - but have not been to the doctors.
“Even though more than four in 10 people think they’re fit and healthy, you can see from the results this may not be the case.
“If you’re breathless doing everyday tasks, that’s not right. Lung health is so important to our overall wellbeing.”
The British Lung Foundation is encouraging people to take a simple online breath test to see if they might need to see a GP about an underlying lung condition.
The study of 2,000 adults also found more than 25 per cent exercise less than once a week, with just one quarter saying they’d be comfortable to play a game of football or netball at their current level of fitness.
Worryingly, a third of the population say they wouldn’t be able to run a mile “if their life depended on it”.
One in four Brits has had a friend or colleague comment on them being completely out of breath after a moderate amount of exercise.
And after running out of steam, it takes an average of 38 seconds to get it back – with one in 20 adults needing more than two minutes to collect themselves.
While 44 per cent of respondents believe their current level of fitness has a negative impact on their lives, there are many excuses as to why they have not improved it.
Fifteen per cent say they have an injury that stops them from doing any exercise, and the same amount find they’re always too tired to work out.
A tenth enjoy a sedentary life too much to get up and do some exercise to improve their lung health.
MORE ON LUNG CONDITIONS
McKevitt added: “We shouldn’t be getting out of breath when playing with our children.
“That’s a warning sign that you should think seriously about getting advice.
“No matter your circumstances, it’s possible to make yourself a little bit fitter and your lungs a little bit healthier.
“Small changes like walking up the stairs rather than taking the lift or getting off the bus a stop early can make a real difference.”
You can take the British Lung Foundation
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368. You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours