Breathing Exercises To Increase Lung Capacity – At Home

OVER VIEW

Breathing exercises to increase lung capacity or oxygen level, are very important in covid-19 time because the covid -19 symptoms are primarily seen in our respiratory system.

Hence, the person feels difficulty in breathing. In some cases, oxygen levels are below the situation point, so it is highly essential to increase our breathing capacity.

This post looks at some exercises that can help reduce shortness of breath with chronic lung conditions making healthy lungs and increasing the oxygen capacity in the lungs.

How do Breathing Exercise Work?

Just like other physical exercises, like running, which enhances your stamina, and power improves heart health, etc, the same breathing exercise makes your lung strong.

If a person feels shortness of breath, then they definitely try these breathing exercises.

Breathing exercises day by day enhance your lung capacity to take more oxygen and help people with COPD and asthma.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is one of the most popular, and recommended exercises for all ages.

According to the British Lung Foundation, deep breathing can help clear out the mucus from your lungs after pneumonia, which allows more air to circulate.

It will help you be more mindful of the way you breathe.

To perform this exercise:

• Simple – Take a deep breath slowly on full lung capacity.
• Hold for a few seconds about 8 to 12 seconds, and gradually increase
• Now slowly breathe out, making sure you feel relaxed
• Repeat 5 to 10 times

In the first attempt, it may seem difficult to hold your breath, but as you practice, it becomes more comfortable than the previous time.

Pursed Lip Breathing

This exercise is often recommended for beginners, before belly breathing exercises, because is way easier, and you can do it at home and at any time.

It helps control shortness of breath and provides a quick and easy way to slow your pace of breathing, making each breath more effective.

To practice the pursed lips breathing exercise:

• Inhale deeply and gently through your nose for 2 counts.
• Then, purse your lips, like you blow out a candle, and exhale slowly through your mouth for 4 counts.
• Repeat this exercise several times

According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, this might help with difficulty in breathing caused by COVID-19.

The more you move the air in and out with your lungs, the more physically and mentally you will be active.

Belly Breathing

“Diaphragmatic breathing” or belly breathing, restores lung function by engaging the diaphragm.

This specifically focuses on strengthening the diaphragm muscle, which allows a person to take a deep breath.

This technique is very helpful in covid-19, or people with COPD because, these, people don’t have a strong diaphragm, and these could be strengthened.

You can also do deep breathing while on your back, on your stomach while standing, and while sitting.

How To Do

• Relax your shoulder, and sit straight.
• Put you one hand lightly on your stomach, and one on your chest. so you can be aware of the belly rising and falling.
• Take a slow deep breath through your nose, feel your belly rise, but not your chest, and breath out slowly.
• Repeat for 10 breaths

You can also try it while laying on your stomach or back.

Humming

Humming while exhaling breath really helps in the production of nitrous oxide, which helps build and repair the nervous system. it has many other benefits such as:

1. Dilated blood vessels
2. Promote more oxygen delivery throughout the body
3. Gives you calming, soothing, and relaxing quiet feeling
4. Reduce stress
5. Incurring respiratory infections

This is also one of the reasons nitrate-rich food should be taken during covid infection humming practice, which really removes stress, and tension.

Studies show, that these vibrations you create really help in the production of nitrous oxide, and this chemical has a very strong anti-viral property, which reduces the replication of viruses.

How to do:

• Sit on a comfortable position like a mat
• Take a long breath, and when you exhale, make a humming sound
• Again, inhale through your nose, and then exhale through your nose with a humming sound.
• Repeat this process for 2 to 5 minutes every day.

When you create a humming sound you feel more vibrations, so try to close your ears and eyes, and you will notice the vibration will be felt throughout the body.

NOTE: Make it your habit that in the morning you will do 5 rounds at night, and during the day, whenever possible do 1 to 2 rounds.

Other Best Breath Exercises To Increase Lung Capacity

A glass of Water with a straw

• First, inhale, and then exhale in straw to make bubbles in a glass of water
• Repeat this process, at least 8 to 12 times.

So you have to blow out completely by making bubbles. And deep inhale through your nose.

Spirometer Exercise

You see it in many people’s homes, especially those who have lung issues. it is easily available in pharmacies.

There are three balls inside it, and each ball has a number – 600 CC, 900 CC, and 1200 CC. Suppose you are raising one ball – that means your oxygen intake is 600 cc.

NOTE: Put the pipe in your mouth and take it deep breath. try to lift all three balls.

Huffing

This exercise will help you to clear the lung secretions, if you feel a cough or mucus on the chest then, this exercise will help to remove them.

• Take a deep inhale, and then make a huffing sound
• Repeat this process multiple times

Tips For Healthy Lungs

The situation in which we are living today, such as pollution, unhealthy habits, etc, has the worst effect on our lungs, so it becomes important to lung stay healthy.

Here are the following tips for keeping your lungs healthy. which include:

• Stop smoking, which is one of the major reasons for lung diseases
• Eat healthy homemade food, and avoid junk or fast food. some time is ok, but not regular.
• Get vaccinated against flu, pneumonia, and covid viruses. it will prevent lung infection to a great extent.
• Do exercise at least one hour daily, to keep your immune system strong.
• Wear a mask, especially in polluted areas, and covid in situations.

Prevention is the best medicine, so make sure to take prevention, especially if you are old, young children, weak immune people, etc.

Precautions During Exercise

It is a good idea to talk to a doctor before trying any new breathing exercises, especially if you are a lung disease person and are older.

Stop exercises if you see the following signs and symptoms:

• Dizziness
• Pain in the chest area, while breathing and exhaling
• Difficulty in breathing
• Fatigue
• Fast heartbeat
• If fever comes after exercise
• Any discomfort then talks to the doctor.

BOTTOM LINE

If a person feels shortness of breath, then they definitely try these breathing exercises.

According to the British Lung Foundation, deep breathing can help clear out the mucus from your lungs after pneumonia, which allows more air to circulate.

Prevention is the best medicine, so make sure to take prevention, especially if you are old, young children, weak immune people, etc.