5 Breathing exercise techniques to improve lung function

Healthy lungs give the body the capacity to store a large amount of air. With a large air storage capacity, the body does not get tired or easily fully tired. Unfortunately, as you age, your lung capacity decreases, not to mention if you have a respiratory disease, such as asthma or COPD. That is why, you need to regularly practice several breathing techniques to maintain and increase lung capacity.

Breathing exercise techniques for the lungs

People who have problems with their lungs are at risk for decreased lung function. Several factors that may cause a person to experience decreased lung function include:

• smoke
• asthma
• lung cancer
• COPD
• emphysema

With reduced lung function, this can lead to a number of respiratory problems.

Fortunately, with proper breathing exercises, lung function can improve and the body can store more oxygen it needs. What do the breathing exercises look like? Come on, see the reviews below.

1. Exercise diaphragmatic breathing

This breathing exercise involves the diaphragm and the abdomen. This one technique is called can help facilitate your efforts when you inhale.

In this breath, the incoming air will fill the stomach completely so that it expands, while the chest does not move much. Do this exercise for at least 5 minutes a day.

Here are the steps for this breathing technique:

• Sit back and lean back.
• Place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest.
• Inhale through your nose for two seconds, feel the air moving to fill your stomach. Feel your stomach getting full and moving and getting bigger. Your stomach should move more than your chest.
• Exhale for two seconds through the small parted lips while feeling your stomach deflate.
• Repeat 10 times. Keep your shoulders relaxed throughout the repetition, and keep your back straight while practicing this diaphragmatic breathing.

2. Exercise pursed-lips breathing

Reporting from the COPD Foundation page, this breathing technique is highly recommended for those of you who suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). You are trained to reduce the number of breaths you take and keep your airways open for longer.

To practice it, simply breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth for as long as possible with your lips pursed.

Here's how to do breathing exercises with techniques pursed-lips breathing:

• Inhale slowly through your nose, making sure your lips are closed.
• Exhale slowly through the lips that are pursed or opened very small. Remove it as slowly as possible, longer than when you inhale.
• Repeat again. You can do this standing or sitting.

3. Exercise rib stretch

This breathing exercise technique is quite easy to do. The key to this exercise is to hold as much air in your lungs as possible for 10-25 seconds.

This technique can help increase your lung capacity if you exercise regularly at least once a day. In order for the results to be more effective, this breathing exercise should be done three times a day. You can run the exercise for 2-5 minutes each session.

Here are the steps for breathing exercises with a method rib stretch:

• Stand straight and body straight.
• Blow out all the oxygen from your lungs.
• Take a slow breath, fill your lungs with as much air as possible.
• Hold your breath for 10-15 seconds.
• If you are not able to immediately hold your breath that long, hold for 6 or 7 seconds first. Add gradually until you are accustomed to holding your breath for 10-15 seconds.
• After going through 10-15 seconds, exhale again until all the oxygen from the lungs is released.

4. Exercise numbered breathing

This breathing exercise can be useful for anyone looking to increase lung capacity. With this breathing exercise technique you have to do up to 8 counts without stopping.

How to perform breathing techniques numbered breathing, are:

• Stand straight with your eyes closed, then take a deep breath.
• As you inhale, imagine the number 1.
• Hold your breath for a few seconds, then exhale.
• Inhale again while imagining the number 2.
• Hold the breath again for a few 3 seconds, then exhale.
• Inhale again while imagining the number 3.
• Do this until you envision the number 8.

5. Pulmonary strength training pranayama

This breathing exercise technique is performed while sitting alternately using the right and left nostrils.

The way to do this Pranayama lung strength training is also quite easy:

• Sit cross-legged with your back straight.
• Cover the left nostril with your fingers.
• Take a deep, slow breath with your right nostril open.
• When you take a maximum breath, close the right nostril and open the left nostril simultaneously to exhale slowly.
• Exhale maximally from the left nostril.
• Inhale again through the left nostril.
• Then, close the left nostril again, and exhale through the right nostril. Take it out slowly.
• Do it continuously alternately up to 10 times.

6. Breathing practice with meditation

Meditation is known to be effective in relaxing the mind. However, did you know that meditation can also help improve breathing? There are two types of meditation, namely meditation with one focus point and meditation with two points of focus

Meditation with one focus point

For best results, do this meditation in a safe and quiet place. Focus only on your breath for 15-20 minutes.

As you breathe, say words like "peace", "love" or "hope" to give your mind suggestions to stay calm. After doing this meditation, you will realize the immediate benefits of your breathing technique and your peace of mind.

Meditation with two focus points

This meditation is a meditation practice that focuses on both your breath and your thoughts. People who have difficulty breathing are particularly susceptible to stress, which can lead to a disturbed mind. This type of meditation may be a solution to help calm your mind and calm your emotions. Meditation can be done while sitting relaxed or in between daily activities.