People suffering from chronic respiratory diseases have to compromise on the quality of life in many ways. While medications and continuous physician’ supervision are important, one should also strive to improve their breathing to live better with COPD, bronchitis, or asthma. Even if you are not dealing with any chronic respiratory condition, you should be proactive in improving your breath.
From increasing lung capacity via respiratory exercises to changing lifestyle, we will discuss five steps through which you can improve your breathing.
Benefits of Improved Breathing
Before we discuss the steps to improve breathing, it is imperative to shed light on what it essentially is and what its benefits are. Improved breathing is the condition where your lungs can hold more air and thus provide a rich supply of oxygen to the blood. Apart from helping people dealing with respiratory conditions, improved breathing is also unconditionally beneficial for everyone.
Cleanses the Body
Breathing accounts for almost 70% body cleansing of toxins. So, improved breathing means a more efficient release of toxins, especially harmful carbon derivatives.
Improved Immunity System Response
Improved breathing facilitates the optimal oxygenation of blood. This subsequently ensures better absorption of nutrients in the blood to improve its white cells profile, making the backbone of the immune system.
Regulates Hypertension
Improved breathing relaxes your muscles, dilates your blood vessels, and improves your heart rate. All of this collectively helps you regulate your higher blood pressure.
Sheds Stress
Physiologically, stress is the function of a hormone called cortisol. When improved breath regulates your heart rate and facilitates better blood oxygenation, these changes send the brain a signal to cut down cortisol production and release.
Besides these benefits, exercises carried out for improved breathing improves your posture. Also, improved breathing keeps you charged, and you are less likely to feel sleepy throughout the day.
5 Steps to Improve Breathing
The benefits of improving breathing pay off in many ways. Let’s look at five steps through which you can improve your breathing to live a better life.
- Breathing Exercises
Breathing exercises are most steps towards improved breathing. Breathing exercises aim to increase your lung capacity and strengthen the muscles involved in inhalation and exhalation. Below are some breathing exercises that you can do from your home’s comfort without needing any professional supervision.
Belly Breathing: It increases the lung capacity by activating the diaphragm, a muscle layer between the lungs and chest. Lay down straight. Then, put one hand on your abdomen and the other on the chest. Deeply inhale through the mouth, hold it for a couple of seconds, and then slowly exhale through the nostrils. It will be one rep.
Rib Stretch: Stand upright and exhale as much as possible. Then, slowly start inhaling and expanding your lungs to the maximum capacity. Hold the breath for about 20 seconds, and slowly exhale through the nostrils. Repeat it several times.
Ventilatory Muscle Training (VMT): This exercise is aimed to strengthen your inspiratory and expiratory muscles. A simple and easy-to-use respiratory training device is all you need to conduct this exercise. The idea of VMT is to improve muscle endurance through controlled breathing. You can find more about ventilatory muscle training from one of our previous blog posts.
You need to complement your breathing exercises with some lifestyle changes as well.
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Keep your diet nutritious and consume food with loads of antioxidants
- Get yourself vaccinated for flu and pneumonia to prevent lung infections
- Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke
- Clean and Renovate Home
When you clean or renovate your home for improved breathing, you need to be more diligent. Here are some considerations you need to take.
- Get rid of dust-collecting fixtures such as carpets, curtains, and window treatments
- Start using dust mite-proof zippered coverings for mattresses and pillows
- Install HEPA filters with your HVAC and get air purifiers
- Wash your bedding and sheets at higher temperatures
- Tweak Your Sleeping Position
Sleeping position can affect your breathing. Avoid sleeping on your back because it may partially block your breathing passage and cause sleep apnea. The best sleeping position that allows better breathing is this: lay down on your right side with the head elevated on the pillow. Also, put a pillow between your legs. This sleeping posture keeps your spine aligned and prevents airway blockage.
- Meditate
Meditate reduces stress and anxiety and gives you mental clarity. Meditating will also improve your breathing because it requires focused, mindful, and deep breathing patterns.
Get in touch with us to buy DIY breathing trainer devices to strengthen your respiratory muscles for improved breathing.