Breathing exercises that can help you increase your lung capacity

As you age, your lung capacity and lung function decrease slowly. There are many chronic diseases that increase with these reductions in lung capacity and functioning, such as chronic pulmonary disease (COPD). This ultimately leads to difficulty in breathing; the sufferer may experience shortness of breath.

However, there are many exercises that can help you increase your lung capacity while making it simpler and easier to keep your lungs healthy. Healthy lungs can help your body get the oxygen it needs.

Belly breathing

This exercise can help people with COPD as belly breathing helps individuals strengthen their diaphragm.

The right way to perform belly breathing

• You can take a yoga mat for this one.
• Relax your shoulders and sit back or you can also lie down.
• Place palm of your right hand on your belly and the other one on your chest.
• Breathe in through your nose for seconds, feel the air move into your belly while your stomach moves out. Take deep breathes and make sure that your stomach moves more than your chest does.
• Breathe out through pursed lips while pressing on your abdomen. Breathe out as deeply as you breathed in.
• Repeat this exercise for a few breathes to improve your lung capacity.

Rib stretch

This is an easy one, and it can be done by anyone. This exercise increases your lung capacity of holding air, so that you can breathe easily. 

The right way to perform rib stretch

• Stand straight with your back arched.
• Breathe out all the oxygen. It may seem difficult at first but with regular practice, it should become easier for you.
• Now, breathe in slowly, you would be able to feel your lungs filling with air.
• Hold your breath for at 10 seconds then slowly exhale.

Numbered breathing

Numbered breathing will require you to breathe in and out to a multiplying counts of breathing.

The right way to perform numbered breathing

• Stand straight and take a deep breath with your eyes closed.
• Force all the air out of your lungs when you breathe out.
• When you inhale again, hold your breath for a few seconds, and then exhale.
• Exhale after holding your breath until the count of 3.
• Now, continue this exercise until you get to number 10.

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