Breathing Exercises And Benefits
Remove the old, stale air and replace it with new, fresh air. That is the theme of the two most beneficial breathing exercises—pursed lip breathing and belly breathing—taught to individuals with chronic lung diseases such as asthma and COPD by pulmonary rehabilitation specialists. As with aerobic exercise, which strengthens your heart and muscles, breathing exercises can help your lungs function more efficiently.
What Are the Benefits of Breathing Exercises?
When your lungs are healthy, breathing is natural and effortless. You inhale and exhale, with your diaphragm performing approximately 80% of the work of filling your lungs with a mixture of oxygen and other gases and then expelling waste gas. Mark Courtney, a respiratory therapist with Lung Helpline, compares the process to that of a spring-loaded screen door that automatically opens and closes. Our lungs have a springy quality, similar to a door. However, with asthma and, more specifically, COPD, our lungs gradually lose their springiness. They do not return to their initial position when you begin to breathe, and air becomes trapped in our lungs "Courtney elaborates. "Stale air accumulates over time, reducing the space available for the diaphragm to contract and bring in fresh oxygen. When the diaphragm is not functioning optimally, the body begins to breathe through other muscles in the neck, back, and chest. This results in decreased oxygen levels and a depleted capacity for exercise and activity. When performed regularly, breathing exercises can assist in clearing the lungs of accumulated stale air, increasing oxygen levels, and reactivating the diaphragm to assist in breathing.
Lip Purse Breathing
This exercise helps you take fewer breaths and maintains your airways open for a longer period of time. Increased airflow into and out of the lungs enables you to be more physically active. To practice, simply inhale with your nose and exhale through your mouth with pursed lips for at least twice as long.
As with pursed lip breathing, begin by inhaling through your nose. Take note of how your stomach fills with air. You can rest your hands lightly on your tummy or a tissue box on it to keep an eye on your belly as it rises and falls. Exhale via your mouth for at least two to three times the duration of your inhalation. Retrain your neck and shoulders to relax while you retrain your diaphragm to assist in filling and emptying your lungs.
Perfection Requires Practice
Courtney cautions that while these exercises appear simple, they require practice to perfect. "Do not do these workouts if you are out of breath," he advises. "You want to test them first while your breathing is normal, and then when you're more comfortable, use them when you're out of breath." Ideally, you should do both exercises daily for around 5 to 10 minutes.