4 Best Breathing Exercises to Improve Your Lung Health | Management Innovation eXchange
Nerves, anxiety and, uncertainty, those are some of the most common emotional responses in difficult moments like the one we are going through. Since the coronavirus health crisis released around the World, fear and sadness have gripped many of us. Being locked up at home added to the bad news we receive daily. It can cause us to lose our calm on more than one occasion. Breathing techniques are one of the best tools to calm down and reduce anxiety in times of crisis. However, breathing well is not only essential to achieving a state of calm, but also to improve the health of the lungs.
Lung diseases are one of the biggest problems for global health. Precisely, Covid-19 attacks these respiratory organs, specifically the cells of its alveoli. It can also cause anything from drowning to pneumonia and respiratory failure. Although in many cases, these pathologies cannot be prevented, healthy habits are essential to reduce the chances of suffering from them. A series of simple exercises, which can be performed from home, can contribute to the good health of our lungs. It will be also helpful to expand our immune system to protect yourself from coronavirus.
Expand a Balloon
A simple exercise to improve our lung capacity and counteract the effects of respiratory infections, such as bronchitis, is to train with balloons. We take a balloon, take a deep breath through the nose, and then expand it. We can do it slowly by taking all the air out of the lungs quickly with short continuous blows. This practice strengthens the lungs and muscles involved in the respiratory system. But it should only be done if we do not have any disease.
Pursed Lip Breathing (RLF)
Pursed-lip breathing (RLF) is an exercise frequently used in respiratory therapy programs and helps to expel more air and empty the lungs. To perform it, we must concentrate on breathing. We should breathe slowly through the nose in two stages. One is feeling the belly raise as we inhale. Next, we purse our lips, as if we were going to blow out a candle, and respire slowly through our lips in four beats.
Stain a mirror
During this pandemic, physical activity or exercise can play a vital role to keep us fit and healthy. We stand upright and take a deep breath through the nose. Next, we hold our breath for about three seconds and breathe out through the mouth, as if we wanted to fog a mirror. As we respire, we put pressure on the stomach and try to expel all the air. In addition to being an exercise in respiratory physiotherapy, it is one of the breathing control techniques included in hatha yoga, where it is known as ‘Ujjayi’. It expands the chest, improves lung capacity, and helps to recover from some respiratory systems.
Open and close arms
For this exercise, we open our arms and raise them to shoulder height with our palms open facing inwards. Next, we breathe in forcefully through the nose while trying to inflate the stomach. We hold our breath for three seconds. Then close our arms as we breathe out through the mouth with pursed lips. We breathe again while we open our arms and repeat.