Safety rail first
If breathing feels hard, your peak flow is dropping, or you need your reliever — use it. This protocol is for the dry, irritating cough between attacks, not for an attack itself.
The cough-hyperventilation cycle
A cough irritates the airway, you breathe faster, CO₂ drops, the airway tightens, you cough more. Breaking the cycle means slowing the breath, not deepening it.
The reduced-breathing protocol
Close your mouth. Swallow once to interrupt the urge to cough. Breathe gently through the nose, smaller than normal, for 30 seconds. Repeat. Add a 3-second pause after each exhale if comfortable.
When it works and when it does not
It works well for tickly, dry, irritation-driven coughs. It does not work for wet coughs from infection — those need different care.
Log your sessions in Breathe On and explore the matching guidance at [/breathing-for/asthma](/breathing-for/asthma).