@stew80 , The pattern you describe, being worse at rest and especially in bed, is something I relate with. I tend to notice it more when I'm resting or lying down. Often times I have to sleep at an incline which reduces the air hunger sensation.

One thing I really want to emphasize, especially since you mentioned the possibility of carrying this long term, is that even if it doesn’t fully go away, it doesn’t have to control your life. For me, distraction genuinely helps. When my mind is engaged, whether that’s walking, light projects, or just being mentally absorbed in something, the breathing sensation often fades into the background. That was a big clue for me that the mind–body connection plays a real role here.

Buteyko excercises helped me not as a quick fix, but as a way to gradually retrain my breathing pattern and my mindset around breathing. It helped me step out of the constant monitoring and trying to force a full breath, and over time that took a lot of the edge off the air hunger. Might be something you look into as something to try.

Another thing that’s helped me a great deal is mild to moderate weight lifting. I can’t fully explain why, but I’m convinced it’s made a difference, whether through improved oxygen utilization, better muscle engagement, posture, or some other mechanism. I always stay well within what my breathing allows, but overall it’s been a net positive for my symptoms.

You may be right that this is something you carry, but there are real ways to manage it and live a pretty normal, full life alongside it.