Ashima Sharda Mahindra • 13 Nov 2024
Can Physical Activity Improve Your Lung Function? What Roles Do Breathing Exercises Play In Reducing Breathlessness?
According to experts, exercises help maintain lung capacity, making it easier to keep your lungs healthy and get your body the oxygen it needs
Your lung function depends a lot on the amount of air you are able to hold. According to experts, your lung capacity typically begins to decrease slowly, approximately after the age of 35 years. Along with ageing, many conditions like pollution, smoking, and diseases like asthma, and COPD can significantly speed up the loss of lung capacity and function. This leads to difficulty in breathing and shortness of breath.
However, doctors believe exercises help maintain lung capacity, making it easier to keep your lungs healthy and get your body the oxygen it needs. “Regular exercise strengthens the respiratory muscles, enhancing lung efficiency,” Dr. Smita Ingle, director, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and rehab centre, Ruby Hall Clinic, told Times Now.
Benefits of physical activity for lung health
A few advantages of physical activity for lung health include:
Increased Lung Capacity
Aerobic exercises boost tidal volume and vital capacity, allowing you to take in more air with each breath.
Improved Airflow
Physical activity improves lung elasticity, supporting better airflow and oxygen exchange.
Enhanced Muscle Function
Strengthening respiratory muscles leads to more effective breathing, particularly during physical exertion.
Better Oxygen Utilization
Exercise enhances cardiovascular fitness, helping the body use oxygen more efficiently.
Reduced Respiratory Issues
Those who exercise regularly often experience fewer respiratory issues, supporting overall lung health.
“Since the pandemic, pulmonary rehabilitation has become increasingly recognized. People with conditions like COPD, asthma, interstitial lung diseases, and other respiratory concerns are now more aware and are actively seeking support from hospital rehabilitation departments to improve their lung health,” Dr. Ingle added.
Ways breathing exercises and yoga play important role in reducing breathlessness
While you may generally not be able to change how much oxygen your lungs can hold, breathing exercises reduce shortness of breath due to limited lung function. And so, you can try:
Pursed lip breathing
It keeps your airways open longer, facilitating airflow into and out of the lungs. To practice this, you must:
- Sit up straight as good posture can help promote lung movement
- Breathe in deeply through the nose in a slow, controlled fashion
- Purse your lips which should be like making a kissing gesture
- Breathe out through pursed lips ideally, the exhalation should be twice as long as the inhalation
Belly breathing
Belly breathing improves the rate at which your lungs expand and contract as it focuses on strengthening the diaphragm muscle, which allows a person to take a deep breath. To do this you must:
- Rest a hand or a lightweight object on the stomach
- Breathe in slowly through your nose and note how far the stomach rises
- Breathe out through the mouth
- Breathe in through the nose, this time trying to get the stomach to rise higher than it did with the previous breath,
Tips to keep your lungs healthy
A few ways you can keep your lungs healthy include:
- Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke or environmental irritants
- Eat foods that are rich in antioxidants and high fibre
- Get vaccinations such as the flu and pneumonia vaccine
- Exercise frequently
- Improve indoor air quality by using tools like indoor air filters and lower pollutants such as artificial fragrances, mold, and dust.
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