Simple Exercises to Maximize Lung Health

Breathing exercises for seniors are efficient ways to combat respiratory problems like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, shortness of breath, and more. By the end of this Blog, you will have mastered several simple breathing exercises that can help you exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide more efficiently through your lungs. 

Below are some breathing exercises that can help you maintain healthy lungs and generally improve your health.

Complete Breathing

Complete breathing, is a technique that engages the diaphragm, lower ribcage, and upper chest to achieve a deep and thorough breath. It covers both belly breathing and chest breathing.

Here's how to do it:

1. Sit up straight and exhale.
2. Start breathing in and relax your stomach muscles. 
3. Feel your belly expand as your lungs fill with air.
4. Keep breathing in until you feel your chest expand with a deep breath.
5. Hold your breath briefly and exhale slowly, pulling your belly in to feel the last bit of air leaving your lungs.
6. Close your eyes, relax, and focus on breathing like this for five minutes every day.

Pursed-Lip Breathing

Pursed-lip breathing is an excellent morning breathing exercise that slows down your breathing and improves lung function. It is beneficial if you're easily short of breath.

Here's how to do it:

1. Stretch and take a deep breath through your nose. Hold your breath for a count of two.
2. Purse your lips as if you were going to blow out a candle.
3. Exhale slowly and evenly through pursed lips for a count of four.
4. Repeat this pattern for two to three minutes.

Humming Breathing

Humming breathing is a yoga breathing exercise that involves humming while exhaling. This practice offers various physical, mental, and emotional benefits.

Here's how to do it:

1. Follow the instructions for complete breathing,
2. But when you exhale, hum as you release the air from your body.
3. Pull your belly muscles in as you hum the last air from your lungs.
4. Relax and practice this exercise two to three times.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

This exercise promotes relaxation and strengthens the diaphragm muscles for more efficient breathing.

Here's how to do it:

1. The easiest way to practice this exercise is to lie on your back.
2. Place one hand over your navel and your other hand above it on your stomach.
3. Now concentrate on breathing from your diaphragm.
4. If you can see the hand over your navel rising before the hand above it, you are doing this exercise correctly.
5. Relax and keep breathing for five minutes.

While these breathing techniques can improve overall respiratory health and help you breathe easier, we encourage you to stay consistent!