Life

You can read an overview of Life of Breaths findings and policy recommendations in a our PolicyBristol report: More than a medical symptom: the need for holistic care of breathlessness Breathing isnt just a bodily function. It allows us to speak, laugh and sing. It connects us to the outside world. It reflects our state of mind and can be conscious... ly controlled. Breath has inspired art and literature. For many it has spiritual significance. The personal and cultural meaning of breathing goes beyond the simple act of keeping us alive. Breathlessness is also a very personal experience. It can be fleeting or a sign of something more serious. Some people deal with breathlessness better than others. As a result, doctors find it hard to measure and difficult to treat. Those living with breathlessness are often forgotten. We want to help people live well with breathlessness. Our interdisciplinary team and collaborators worked together to find new ways of answering questions about breathing and breathlessness and their relationship to both illness and wellbeing. What does breathlessness feel like? Does it feel different when you are ill? How do our thoughts, emotions and beliefs affect our breathing? Why do people hide their breathlessness? What can we learn about breath from different cultures? How is breath represented in literature, art, film and music? Can the ways people thought about breath in the past help us today? Would better ways of describing or visualising breathlessness help patients and doctors? Why is inhaling substances like cigarette smoke pleasurable? Are industries that affect our lung health being held to account?Read More