Rare are the feelings that generate fear in a person, in the same way as the feeling of being unable to breathe or shortness of breath.

Many people suffer from shortness of breath when exercising or doing the simplest and easiest tasks. Do you often suffer from shortness of breath? Why do we find people who suffer from lung diseases, but use them to their full potential and maintain their health? Have you ever heard of exercises to improve lung health?

If you are one of those who suffer from lung diseases and shortness of breath and you think that you have finished exercising and that there are no exercises that suit your condition, then you are wrong, my dear.

There are some steps and exercises that you can do, and since we care about your physical fitness, we are pleased to tell you that this article will change your mind, as we will read together about the benefits of exercises to improve lung health. Learn the steps for performing the exercises so that you can perform them safely, and answer all the questions about exercises to improve lung health.

A Scientific Look at the Breathing Process

The question may come to your mind, dear: How do we breathe?

A person has a muscle called the diaphragm muscle, a group of muscles connected to the bottom of the lungs and considered the main organ that controls the breathing process. When it contracts, it pushes air into the lungs, and here comes the role of the lungs by supplying the blood with oxygen, taking carbon dioxide from it, and pulling the air out and in.

Using your shoulders and neck muscles to breathe may harm the normal breathing process.

Shortness of Breath Causes

Shortness of breath is a state of needing air, and some people feel difficulty or interruption in breathing and feel suffocation.

Shortness of breath can be caused by many factors, the most important of which are:

• Some strenuous physical activities, and in some cases simple
• Extreme high or low temperatures
• High heights and fear of them
• Excessively obese
• Smoking excessively

Sometimes unexplained shortness of breath is evidence of a medical problem that you are suffering from, especially if it comes in the form of sudden attacks. We advise you to consult a doctor because you may be suffering from one of the following diseases:

• Heart failure
• Pneumonia
• Anaphylaxis
• Asthma
• Poisoning
• Pneumothorax
• Interstitial lung disease
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Pleural effusion

Improving Lung Health Exercises

There are many exercises to increase the flexibility and strength of the lungs and support the diaphragm muscle, we will mention them along with the correct way to perform them:

 Pursed-lip breathing 

It is one of the easiest exercises to improve lung health, as you can do it anytime and anywhere. The exercise keeps the airway open for longer periods, reduces the number of breaths you need per minute, facilitates the flow of air into and out of the lungs, facilitates the performance of their functions, and increases the quality of oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange. This exercise is more useful for people who do not use their breathing muscles continuously or for people who engage in simple physical activity. Here are the steps for the pursed lip breathing exercise:

• Sit upright, as a healthy posture strengthens and enhances lung function
• Flex your shoulder and neck muscles
• Shut your mouth
• Inhale the air with your nose slowly
• Purse your lips together as if you are angry
• Exhale as slowly as you can through pursed lips as if you were blowing out a candle
• Exhale the air from your lungs slowly
• Exhale several times longer than you inhale
• Repeat the exercise as many times as you can

Belly Breathing

It is also known as the abdominal breathing exercise, and it is considered one of the best exercises for improving lung health that focuses on the diaphragm muscle, improving it and contributing to delivering a larger amount of air to the base of the lung, which in turn facilitates the breathing process. In this exercise, the belly lowers and rises with each breath you take. Naturally, this is the basic breathing pattern, but like many people, you have acquired the habit of using the back and neck muscles that reduce the access of oxygen into and out of the lungs.

Follow these steps to perform the belly breathing exercise:

• Sit upright
• Lie in a comfortable position and relax your body and the muscles of your face, jaw, neck, and shoulders on a yoga pillow or the bed
• Place the tip of your tongue behind your upper front row of teeth
• Straighten your back
• Close your eyes
• Place one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest
• Inhale slowly through your nose, making sure your chest remains firm while your belly moves outward and rises higher than your chest.
• Exhale slowly for two seconds and move your belly inward
• Hold your breath for 7 seconds if you can and exhale for 8 seconds
• Contract your abdominal muscles to push all the air out of the lungs
• Repeat the exercise 5 to 9 times as much as you can

Rib Stretch 

It is one of the most important exercises for improving lung health, as it exercises and stretches your ribs that move during the breathing process. Here is how to perform the exercise:

• Stand upright
• Keep your hands on your hips
• Inhale slowly until your lungs are full
• Hold your breath for twenty seconds or as long as you can tolerate
• Exhale slowly
• Repeat the exercise 3 times

Deep Breath

It is one of the exercises to improve lung health, and it helps remove mucus from the lungs after suffering from pneumonia, which in turn increases the flow of oxygen to them and increases your energy levels. Here, my dear, is how to do the exercise:

• Lie comfortably on your back, a chair, or a bed
• Focus on having your neck, shoulders, and head supported straight and completely on the back of the chair
• Take 5 to 10 deep breaths through the nose and let your belly fill with air
• Cough loudly several times
• Repeat the exercise several times daily.

Yawn to Smile 

It is one of the exercises to improve lung health. It allows the diaphragm muscle to fully expand and stretch. It strengthens the muscles of the chest, arms, and shoulders, and regulates the flow of oxygen. Here are the steps to apply the exercise:

• Sit upright on the edge of a chair or bed
• Raise your hands up
• Provide plenty of space for yawning and yawn
• Put your arms down
• Finish the exercise by smiling for three seconds
• Repeat the exercise as much as you can

Humming

Activities that affect the abdominal muscles also affect the lungs. Simple humming can increase lung capacity, expel stale air from the lungs, allow fresh air in, reduce stress, and help patients stay healthy in recovery.

Simhasana or Lion Pose

It is one of the unique and distinctive exercises for improving lung health. It requires you to make a sound similar to the sound of a lion’s roar (Simhasana). Here, my dear, we will teach you how to perform the exercise:

• Stand with your knees as far apart as you can, knowing that your toes should be touching each other
• Move your body forward slightly
• Place your palms directly between your knees on the floor
• Arch your back slightly and tilt your head back
• Open your mouth and stick your tongue out toward the chin as much as you can
• Exhale and make an "ah" sound from your throat
• Close your mouth after exhaling and inhaling
• Relax your body in the final exercise position
• Repeat the exercise as much as you can

Pranayama

It is one of the exercises to regulate breathing and improve lung health. It can increase the efficiency of athletic individuals, as well as healthy people, by supporting the ventilation functions of the lungs, especially those who participate in aerobic sports and need strong and effective lungs to ensure that a sufficient amount of oxygen reaches all organs of the body.

Pushing Out

It is an exercise to regulate breathing and improve lung health. Here is how to practice it:

1. Stand with your back straight and your knees relaxed
2. Bend slightly at your waist and push the air out of your lungs
3. Stand up slowly and straight and inhale until your lungs are filled with air
4. Hold your breath for 20 seconds
5. Repeat the exercise twice

Mutual Nasal Breathing

It is one of the exercises to improve lung health. It helps purify the lungs of toxins and remove excess fluids. It also regulates the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the lungs.

Exercise steps:

1. Sit in a cross-legged position
2. Place your hands on your knees
3. Close your eyes
4. Place your left thumb on your left nostril
5. Inhale deep breaths through your right nostril
6. Then switch sides
7. Place your right thumb on your right nostril
8. Inhale deep breaths through your left nostril
9. Hold your breath after two seconds
10. Raise your left thumb and exhale deeply
11. Repeat the exercise for minutes

It is preferable to do the exercise two hours before or two hours after eating.

Interval Training

It is one of the most important exercises for improving lung health. If you feel short of breath during continuous exercise, you can replace it with interval training, as interval training includes alternating short-term periods between difficult, harsh, and less difficult exercises, such as jogging for one minute, then start by walking for two minutes, then walking slowly for three minutes, or you do strength exercises for no more than one minute, such as lunges and bicep curls, then you do gentle walking exercises for two to four minutes, as interval training allows the lungs to recover before entering the challenges again. When you feel short of breath, stop for a few minutes and then repeat.

Bloating during Training

It is one of the easiest exercises to improve lung health, and it consists of inflating while doing other activities that may cause you shortness of breath, such as lifting weights and heavy objects. Breathe in before lifting it and out when you lift it, and you can do this exercise during any activity that you are doing, whether it is harsh or simple. Here's exactly how to do the exercise:

• Breathe in 
• Get active
• Exhale as you perform the activity

Regular Breathing

Regulating your breathing is important when you are active, for example when you are climbing the stairs, when you are walking, or when you are doing an activity that causes you shortness of breath. Regulating breathing means that you match your physical steps with the way you breathe and combine it with the lip purse exercise if it gives better results. Here we will read the steps:

1. Try counting to yourself while walking
2. Breathe in and slowly count to 1 and take one step forward
3. Take a step or two while exhaling for three seconds
4. Allow your steps to be consistent with the inhalation and exhalation you take so that you feel more comfortable

Aerobic Exercises

Aerobic exercises help improve lung health, through the combined efforts of a large muscle group that works at a rhythmic pace and contributes to strengthening your heart, lungs, and your body’s endurance, and thus the body will be able to take in oxygen effectively and will support your breathing. As an example of aerobic exercises, we have walking, jogging, cycling, and swimming.

Walking

It is one of the best exercises for improving lung health. It is considered one of the low-impact exercises that strengthen the health of the lungs and heart. The speed, distance, and time can be controlled according to what suits the individual’s comfort, and it helps burn good amounts of calories, as a moderate-speed walking tour for 30 minutes can maintain your fitness and health.

Cycling

It is one of the best exercises for improving lung health, as it moves a large number of body muscles, such as the leg muscles, thigh muscles, and hamstrings. You can use a stationary bike or a moving bike. This exercise is useful in increasing blood flow to all parts of the body, strengthening the heart and lungs, raising endurance, and helping reduce muscle and joint pain and dysfunction.

Dancing

It is one of the best exercises for improving lung health. It moves all the muscles of the body, including the hips, supports them, contributes to weight loss, strengthens the heart, raises its heart rate, supports the lungs, improves balance, and raises morale. You can perform it with a partner so that you do not feel bored, and it has types: Zumba, regular dancing, and tango. 

Running in the Pool

It is an exercise to improve lung health. It targets the arms and legs, activates the body, and enhances the breathing process. Here are the steps to perform it:

1. Start at one end of the shallow side of the pool.
2. Try to run to the other end and make sure that your shoulders are back, your belly is tight, and your legs are in line with your hips.
3. Move your arms and legs as if you were doing normal running to further warm up the muscles of the shoulders and arms.

Improving Lung Health Exercises' Benefits

All cells in our body require oxygen to complete the metabolism process, and cells cannot perform the process and cannot live without oxygen! Practicing exercises to improve lung health increases the body’s ability to absorb and utilize this element. Practicing breathing exercises and improving lung health have many benefits to your body’s health. We mention these benefits:

• Breathing exercises relax your body, relax your mind, and increase your concentration
• Improved oxygen access to and out of the lungs
• It helps you reduce stress and increases your energy levels
• Breathing exercises help eliminate toxins and waste from your body
• Reduces cortisol levels, helping you feel calm (cortisol is a hormone responsible for stress)
• It reduces the heart rate, which also contributes to relieving stress
• Improving lung health exercises can lower blood pressure and can be beneficial for people with diabetes in some cases.
• Breathing exercises strengthen the core muscles in the body, especially breathing exercises that focus on stretching
• It increases your lung capacity and supports your ability to breathe, so you can endure harsh and intense exercise later.
• Supports and increases lung elasticity, which is essential for those suffering from asthma, pulmonary obstruction, and other lung diseases
• Exercise strengthens the diaphragm muscle and increases your overall lung capacity if done long-term
• Exercises to improve lung health protect you from disease
• Improve your energy levels
• Breathing exercises help you sleep better

Improving Lung Health Other Tips

Exercises to improve lung health, despite their many benefits, cannot cure your lung damage, but they can help you use your lungs to their full potential. Some tips can be useful in supporting your lung health. We will mention some of them:

• Refrain from drinking large amounts of water if you suffer from symptoms of lung weakness
• Refrain from strenuous physical activity if you feel short of breath during your daily activities or if you have a cough that does not go away easily.
• Quit smoking once and for all and do not sit in the presence of a smoker, because passive smoking is more harmful to the lungs
• Avoid exposure to mold, dust, and pollutants, and wear a mask to protect you from them before leaving the house
• Take care of your hygiene to avoid the greatest number of diseases
• Do moderate exercise and exercise regularly, 3 to 4 times a week
• Call the doctor, go see him, explain your condition to him so he can evaluate it, and treat lung diseases early to get better results.

A Word from Farashti

Although exercises to improve lung health are very important if you suffer from chronic lung disease, it is more important and better for you to consult your doctor before you start exercising, so that he can evaluate your condition and help you develop a healthy and beneficial exercise plan, and remember that it is important for you to listen to your body if you suffer from chronic health problems, and exercise regularly to ensure better results.

At the end of the article, we hope, Frashti, that you have benefited and learned more about exercises to improve lung health, and the steps to practice them correctly. For more information and articles about fitness, do not hesitate to follow Farashti magazine or follow Sara’s Pop Fit programs and challenges via YouTube videos.

Frequently Asked Questions about Improving Lung Health

What pranayama exercise helps improve lung health?

It is an important breathing exercise that helps enhance the efficiency of healthy individuals and athletes by supporting the ventilation functions of the lungs, especially for those who participate in aerobic sports.

What are the benefits of improving lung health exercises?

Breathing exercises relax your body, improve oxygen reaching and leaving your lungs, help you reduce stress, and increase your energy levels, and breathing exercises contribute to getting rid of toxins in your body.

What are the tips to improve lung health?

Refrain from drinking large amounts of water if you suffer from symptoms of lung weakness, and refrain from strenuous physical activity if you feel short of breath during your daily activities or if you have a cough that does not go away easily.

Can I do lung health exercises on my own?

Yes, if you are in good health, but if you suffer from chronic lung diseases or feel short of breath, you should consult a doctor.

Are there exercises to increase lung capacity and health?

Yes, some exercises improve lung health by maintaining it and increasing its capacity. These exercises include belly breathing and pursed lip breathing.

Written by: Haidy Soliman

Sources:

Healthline

medicalnewstoday

caageorgia

PharmEasy