Athletes may feel it right after a workout, smokers wheeze when they walk up the stairs, obesity and asthma sufferers gasp through simple tasks, and most don't think anything can be done about it. But something can. If you have a severe lung disease, simple breathing exercises won't reverse it, but they can help restore regular breathing patterns for those suffering from shortness of breath.
Exercises Can Help
You can improve your breathing in as little as a few minutes a day. When you run out of breath after a tedious task, you can make sure you restore your breathing pattern properly. Shortness of breath is a serious condition and should be taken care of in the best way possible. Just accepting it as a part of your life can lead to even more severe conditions and perhaps shorten your life.
Daily exercises you can perform at home focus on slowing down and regulating your breathing pattern while improving air flow through the lungs. The following exercises will decrease air trapping in the lungs, strengthen and coordinate your diaphragm, and make it easier for you to breathe. Once you're in a relaxed and comfortable position, you're ready to begin.
Pursed-Lip Breathing
Shape your lips as if you were going to whistle: Now you have pursed lips.
This breathing pattern helps slow down your exhalation rate. You begin by inhaling deeply through your nose. When you exhale, don't force the air out. Just let it exit your body naturally. It should take about three to four times longer to exhale than it takes to inhale. The point of this exercise is to regulate your breathing rate when sudden shortness of breath occurs.
You may have seen athletes do this when they're winded to help restore their regular breathing quickly. Instead of bending over and putting your hands on your knees, stand up straight and put your hands on your waist (like a superhero), or place your hands behind your head (as though you were lounging), and practice pursed-lip breathing. These stances help open the airways and expand the lungs. Continue pursed-lip breathing until the shortness of breath stops, and practice this exercise three to four times daily.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Learn this method to exercise the most important breathing muscle: the diaphragm. Practicing diaphragmatic breathing helps you utilize the muscle at all times. This exercise may be hard to perform at first, but after a few tries, you'll get the hang of it.
Lie on your back on a comfortable surface. Bend your knees and place a hand on your abdomen. Inhale deeply through your nose. You should be able to feel your abdomen rising. Gently exhale through pursed lips and push your hand up and in to help push all the air out of your lungs. Continue this for 5 to 10 minutes; repeat three to four times daily.
Once you get practice, you'll be able to regulate your breathing habit in a simple fashion, and ensure that you overcome any shortness of breath that you may face.
Diaphragmatic Breathing in a Chair
If you don't feel comfortable performing the exercise lying down, try the sitting method.
Sit comfortably in a chair, with your head and neck relaxed and your shoulders bent. Instead of placing a hand on your abdomen, put one your chest, and one just beneath your rib cage. Your hands will be used to guide you through the exercise. Follow the same steps as in the lying-down diaphragmatic breathing, but try to keep the hand on your chest as still as possible.
Perform the exercise for 5 to 10 minutes three to four times a day. When you get comfortable performing the exercise, gradually increase the time.
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