Lung capacity is the total amount of air that our lungs can hold. As we progress in age lung capacity and lung functions also decrease. Breathing in and breathing out is an easy lung exercise. You just have to increase the control slowly over the passing days and maintain it.
Long-lasting respiratory diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can worsen lung capacity, this is accompanied by shortness of breath and difficulty in breathing. COPD is also associated with other conditions like- emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Symptoms of COPD include-
- Wheezing
- Shortness of breath
- Mucus accumulation in the lungs
- Chest congestion
These symptoms can worsen with time but practising lung exercise can help to increase lung capacity.
How to improve lung health?
When we have healthy lungs, breathing is natural and easy. Over time, people with asthma and COPD have poor lung capacity due to which oxygen level falls in the body, which leads to breathlessness.
Fortunately, many lung exercises make the lungs strong and are beneficial to increase lung capacity and maintaining lung health.
Performing lung exercise regularly, potentially aids the problem of breathlessness and overall increases energy.
Tips on how to improve lungs health
We all know prevention is the best cure, it’s better to keep our lungs healthy rather than repair them after something goes wrong.
To make your lungs strong, do the following:
-People who have a weaker respiratory system and are more prone to lung complications must get vaccinated to make their lungs strong.
-Consume antioxidants
-Perform lung exercises for healthy lungs.
-Use air filters that reduce pollutants and improve air quality.
-Avoid smoking
-Drink plenty of water
-Stay active
If any person experiences poor lung symptoms like shortness of breath and wheezing that do not go away, they should contact their doctor at the earliest.
5 Lung exercises to make lungs strong
1. Belly breathing
Belly breathing lung exercise also called “Diaphragmatic breathing” engages the diaphragm to make the lungs strong for heavy lifting during breathing.
This lung exercise is helpful for people with COPD as it strengthens the diaphragm and also increases lung capacity.
Follow the given steps to practice belly breathing lung exercises
-Lie down on your back
-Keep one hand on the belly and the other on the chest
-Inhale for 2 seconds, such that the stomach should move more than the chest.
-Exhale for 2 seconds while pressing on the abdomen
-Repeat the same
2. Pursed lips breathing
Pursed lips breathing is a lung capacity exercise to slow down breathing and reduce workload hence keeping airways open for a longer duration. This lung exercise improves the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide hence increasing lung capacity.
To practice pursed lips breathing lung exercise-
-Inhale slowly
-Pout your lips like you are about to blow something
-Slowly breathe out through pursed lips
-Repeat.
3. Deep breathing
Performing deep breathing lung exercises prevents air from getting trapped in our lungs, which may cause restlessness in the lungs.
Here is how to practice deep breathing lung capacity exercises-
-Expand your chest fully while keeping your elbows straight
-Inhale deeply
-Hold your breath and count to 5
-Exhale deeply and remove the air slowly, until you feel all the inhaled air has been exhaled.
Lung exercise tip-
This exercise should be accompanied by daily breathing exercises, including bhramari pranayama, and must be performed 3-4 times a day.
4. Buteyko breathing exercise
Buteyko breathing lung exercise is an especially designed technique for asthmatic patients. This method emphasizes controlling the speed and volume of breath.
The Buteyko method benefits to improve breath control that promotes proper breathing patterns. Practising this lung exercise prevents complications like breathlessness, coughing, and wheezing.
5. Roll breathing
Roll breathing lung exercise helps to develop the lungs and focus on the rhythm of breathing.
Tips for roll breathing-
-Place your left hand on your belly and your right hand on your chest
-Fill your lower lungs such that the belly rises and the chest remains still.
-Breathe in through your nose and breathe out via mouth.
-Repeat 8 to 10 times
People with poor lung health are suggested to practice roll breathing for several weeks as this method also provides instant relief to breathlessness.
According to AAFP, people who perform breathing exercises show increased lung capacity and other potential benefits like-
- Reduced breathlessness
- Improved quality of life
Physical exercise to increase lung capacity
People who experience breathing problems, generally avoid physical activities because of breathlessness. But practising physical activities improves lung health and makes them stronger.
Some common physical exercises that can be performed include-
- Walking
- Stretching
- Weight training
- Hydrotherapy
What happens to the lungs when you exercise?
While doing exercise heart and lungs are the two most active organs that come into action. Lungs receive oxygen and provide energy to the body and remove carbon dioxide from the body.
While exercising, muscles work harder and the body uses more energy and hence more oxygen. To cope with the demand our breathing pattern increases to about 20-25 times than normal and hence increases lung activity and improves lung function.
How to test lung capacity at home?
Knowing lung capacity is important for people to practice lung exercises that make their lungs strong.
When a person suffers from lung disease or other respiratory complications the status of breathing fluctuates on a day-to-day basis. Knowing the right lung capacity helps to monitor and keep a track of respiratory activities.
Here is a method to determine lung capacity at home-
A peak flow meter, also called a spirometer is a device that measures the strength of your breath, you have to simply breathe in one end and the meter will show a reading on a scale of litres per minute of your peak expiratory flow.
This device is inexpensive and also available in drug stores or online. Using a peak flow meter is the most convenient method to track the daily progress of your lung health.
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