Struggling with asthma, COPD, or shortness of breath? Your lungs may just need a workout. Two simple breathing techniques—pursed lip breathing and belly (diaphragmatic) breathing—are recommended by pulmonary specialists to help clear out stale air and bring in fresh oxygen.
Just like cardio strengthens your heart, regular breathing exercises can improve lung efficiency and reduce breathlessness during daily activities.
Why Breathing Exercises Matter
Healthy lungs work like a spring-loaded screen door—effortless and elastic. But with chronic lung diseases, your lungs lose their springiness. Stale air builds up, your diaphragm weakens, and your body starts relying on neck and chest muscles to breathe—resulting in less oxygen and more fatigue.
Practicing breathing techniques daily can:
- Clear trapped, stale air
- Improve oxygen exchange
- Strengthen your diaphragm
- Reduce breathlessness
- Pursed Lip Breathing
This technique slows your breathing and keeps airways open longer.
How to do it:
- Inhale through your nose
- Exhale slowly through pursed lips (like blowing out a candle), for at least twice as long
Use this technique during physical activity or when feeling breathless.
- Belly (Diaphragmatic) Breathing
Retrains your diaphragm to do the work of breathing.
How to do it:
- Inhale through your nose, letting your belly rise
- Place a hand or tissue box on your stomach to feel the movement
- Exhale through your mouth for 2–3 times longer than you inhaled
Keep shoulders relaxed and focus on belly movement.
Reference:
- Breathing Exercises, available at: https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/wellness/breathing-exercises, accessed on 13th June 2025.
- COPD and Exercise: Breathing and Exercise Programs for COPD, https://www.webmd.com/lung/copd/copd-and-exercise-breathing-and-exercise-programs-for-copd, accessed on 13th June 2025.