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The current pandemic has underlined the significance of sound respiratory health and the need for breathing exercises for the lungs. While regular workouts help strengthen our respiratory health, we also need to perform regular breathing exercises to strengthen our lungs.
We often take our respiratory system for granted although we have been aware since our childhood that the lungs are vital organs of the human body apart from the heart, kidneys, brain, and liver. According to health experts, we can improve lung capacity with the help of regular workouts and lung exercises. Breathing exercise is essential if you are in quarantine or have recovered from COVID-19 infection. Read ahead, to know a few practical tips to improve the health of the lungs and some easy breathing exercises for lungs.
Is breathing exercise good for lungs?
Just like weight lifting is good for muscles and strength, breathing exercises are good for the lungs. Whether you are practicing Pranayam, diaphragmatic breathing or aerobic exercise, every type of breathing exercise is designed to improve lung capacity. Deep breathing is also essential to improve oxygenation.
Did you know that laughing is one of the most beneficial lung exercises? This is evident from the growing number of laughing clubs that are emerging across different localities. Breathing exercise helps your lungs become stronger and more efficient.
Learn the proper technique of breathing
Do you know that there is a special breathing exercise that can be done anytime and at any place? Diaphragmatic breathing involves being mindful of the existence of the diaphragm every time we breathe. FITPASS-TV is an ideal resource to participate in live workouts and fitness sessions.
Feel the lowering of the diaphragm as you inhale and experience that you are inhaling more deeply. If you adopt the technique of diaphragmatic breathing, then you will not only improve your lung capacity but will also improve oxygenation to all organs of your body.
How to Increase Lung Capacity?
In order to increase your lung capacity, you will have to prolong the period of breathing-in and breathing-out. The simple way to achieve this is to count numbers from one onward for every inhalation and exhalation. By doing some rough maths you can arrive at an average number. Now you only have to increase the time by one number to make your lungs breathe in and breathe out some extra air.
Practice this every day and also count your numbers whenever you are sitting idle. This is the simplest technique to achieve deep breathing. Once you are used to this technique, your lungs will be able to handle more volume of air for better oxygenation. Breathing exercise is important for people suffering from chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma and COPD.
Can breathing exercises improve your lung function?
Our lungs are designed to inhale fresh air and exhale stale air. The efficiency of breathing out the stale air may reduce over time because of lack of exercise or any lung disorder such as asthma. This is similar to an automatic door that loses its recoil capacity after some period.
Inability to exhale the air completely leaves some stale air in the lungs and this process can go on for years and cause reduced oxygenation and loss of lung capacity. There are several breathing exercises for lungs such as diaphragmatic breathing and Yoga breathing exercises that can improve lung function for the enhanced supply of oxygen to all systems and cells of the human body.
What is the best exercise for lungs?
Diaphragmatic breathing as explained earlier is one of the best breathing exercises to help the lungs because it can be practiced anywhere. If you make a habit of deep breathing, then you can restore your lung capacity. Another good breathing exercise for strengthening lungs is pursed-lip breathing that involves inhaling through your nostrils and exhaling through pursed lips. You need to double the period of exhalation during this exercise to get the best results.
What are the benefits of breathing exercise?
If you master the technique of mindful breathing, then you will be rewarded with a myriad of benefits not only for your respiratory health but also for a healthier body and stronger mind. Deep breathing can instantly reduce stress and lower your pulse rate. Regular pranayam is beneficial for better concentration and greater capability to fight daily stress and weariness.
