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Breathing Techniques For Healthy and Whole Lungs
Breathing Techniques For Healthy and Whole Lungs
Breathing techniques are exercises to improve your
lung health for better respiration.
We all are familiar with the phrase “take a deep
breath”, often said whenever we’re in the midst of a tense situation.
Our lungs go through a lot every day to provide
oxygen to the bloodstream while removing carbon dioxide from the body.
Respiration for patients with lung-related conditions like asthma or COPD is a
regular struggle.
Easy breathing, in general, requires the help of
effective breathing techniques and exercises.
Today, we are sharing the 4 best breathing techniques to keep your lungs healthy.
1. Pursed Lip Breathing
The pursed-lip breathing technique is extremely
crucial to people with lung conditions. It is often a part of a clinical
pulmonary rehabilitation program.
This breathing technique slows down your breathing
speed by applying deliberate effort each time you breathe.
You can practice pursed lip breathing at any hour of the day. We recommend you practice this technique 4 to 5 times a day.
How To Do it:
- Relax your neck and shoulders
- Close your mouth
- Inhale the air slowly through your nose for a count of two
- Purse your lips
- Exhale the air through your pursed lips for a count of four
2. Diaphragmatic Breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as “belly
breathing” uses the diaphragm for breathing. This breathing technique is
extremely helpful for people with COPD. It improves and strengthens the
diaphragm of individuals suffering from lung conditions.
Relax your neck and shoulders while practicing this
exercise.
Lie down on your back while performing this
exercise to better focus on filling your lungs completely. You can also see
your belly rising and falling.
How To Do It:
- Relax your shoulders and lie down on the
floor.
- Put one hand on your belly and another on your
chest.
- Inhale through your nose for 2 seconds and pay
close attention to how the air moves into your abdomen. Your stomach
should be expanding as you inhale while your chest is staying constant.
- Exhale through your pursed lips while pressing on your abdomen gently. Your stomach should be sinking in as you exhale.
3. Nadi Shodhana Pranayama
Nadi Shodhana or alternate
nostril yoga is a breathing technique where you inhale air through one nostril
at a time while closing the other nostril with your hand. This breathing
technique reduces heart rate, stress and anxiety. It is an ancient yoga
practice with many benefits.
You can perform this
breathing technique at any time of the day. Choose a comfortable position on a
chair or on the floor to practice.
This exercise helps to even
out the breathing process.
How To Do It:
- Close your right nostril with the thumb
of your right hand
- Inhale through the left nostril
- Close the left nostril with the fourth
finger on the right hand
- Release the thumb to exhale through the
right nostril
- Repeat
4. Shamatha
Shamatha is a breathing technique that focuses on
breathing as it is. It is commonly practised as mindful meditation. The
long-term practice of the Shamatha breathing exercise results in sustained
attention and reduces age-related cognitive decline.
How To Do It:
- Relax your neck and shoulders
- Straighten your upper body, and soften your
facial expression
- Inhale and exhale slightly slower than normal.
Focus only on the changing sensations of every muscle involved in
breathing, especially in your stomach. Try to empty your mind of all other
thoughts.
How to Add These Breathing Techniques into Your Routine
We have shared these four simple yet helpful
breathing exercises that can be performed within a few minutes to improve your
health.
Add them to your daily routine to strengthen your breathing.
Here is how our breathing exercises can fit into
even the busiest schedule:
- Start with practising these techniques for
just 5 minutes.
- Increase the time as these exercises become
easier and comfortable to perform.
- Try to find multiple times a day to practice
these exercises.
- The best time for this exercise is early morning, evening, and before going to bed.
Sources:
https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/wellness/breathing-exercises
https://powerfulpatients.org/2019/09/27/5-easy-ways-to-improve-your-lung-health/
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-increase-lung-capacity
https://www.healthline.com/health/breathing-exercise#deep-breathing
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/breathing-techniques
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