what is lung capacity? lung capacity is the total amount of air your lungs can hold. This can be affected by your age because the lung capacity normally starts decreasing slowly when you pass your mid-20s.  

In addition, there are some conditions that significantly speed up the reduction of lung capacity and also how they work such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), leading to difficulties in breathing and shortness of breath.

Here are 5 breathing exercises you can do at home that may help to maintain your lung capacity, making it easier to keep your lungs healthy and with the amount of oxygen that your body needs to function better.

Let’s have a closer look. 

5 Breathing exercises

1.Rib Stretch:

• Stand upright and exhale all the air from your lungs. 
• Slowly breathe in and expand your lungs to the maximum capacity. 
• Hold the air for about 20 seconds or what is comfortable for you. While counting, place both hands on your hips with your thumbs facing front with pinkies touching the small of your back.
• Exhale the air slowly, relax and repeat 3 more times.

2. Deep Breathing  followed by cough 

•  Inhale deeply
•  Hold your breath for five seconds and exhale
• Repeat 6 times
•  On the sixth deep breath, as you exhale, cough deeply 3 times  .
•  Repeat once then, lay flat on your front and breathe slightly deeper for 10 minutes

3. Deep Breathing

• Sit straight but with your shoulder relaxed
• Take a deep breath in
• Breath out fast with your mouth open
• Have a pause and repeat it a couple of times

4. Pursed Lip Breathing 

• Breathing in through your nose
• Breath out slowly through the mouth with pursed lips 
• Repeat couple of times 

5. Belly breathing/Diaphragmatic breathing

• Sit straight with shoulders and neck relax or do it in your bed
• Breathing in through your nose
• Put your hands lightly on your stomach to feel your belly full of air
• Breathe out through your mouth at least two to three times as long as your inhale

These exercises reduce the number of breaths you have to take and keep your airways open for more time. More air can flow in and out of your lungs; this means your lung capacity increases so you can be more physically active.

2 Extra tips…

Drink plenty of fluids

Be sure you are drinking enough fluids, they loosens phlegm.  Dehydration makes phlegm sticks more to the lungs, so it is going to be very difficult to cough it up. Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. What you drink should be caffeine free fluids like water or sugar-free juices.

Exercise

Exercise has many benefits for your overall health and lung health, in particular. While you exercise, your muscles need more oxygen. This increases the demand of your lungs to take in air, and your heart to circulate blood. With regular exercise, your Muscles will become stronger and more efficient using less oxygen. It can help lessen some of the symptoms of bronchitis. Also, when you are properly hydrated, exercise can loosen nasal congestion and open your sinuses.

Although exercising may be more difficult if you have chronic lung conditions, but you can benefit from regular exercise too.  Take into account that, if you have COPD, cystic fibrosis, or asthma, you should ask your doctor before starting an exercise regimen.

For more detailed information about how our physios or osteopaths can help with congested chest feel free to contact us.

We hope this information is useful for you. If you need advice or have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us in Mill Hill Broadway and Islington. We are always happy to help. If you like this blog, please share!

The post How to increase your lung capacity appeared first on Perea Clinic.

Our respiratory system has its own self-cleaning mechanism.  Pollution, smoking, and some conditions of the respiratory system can slow it down, making it vulnerable to virus and bacterial attack.  When your system is affected, you can feel chest congestion, inflammation, breathlessness, and end up with lung infections.   

In a healthy person, the respiratory system produces a litre or two of mucus per day. Without this transparent, viscous cleanser, our respiratory system becomes dry and malfunctions. However, too much mucus leads to respiratory complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia. The airway narrows and becomes blocked, making it difficult for you to breath. Excess mucus also becomes a breeding ground for viruses and bacteria.

Key ways to prevent or decrease excessive mucus build-up in your lungs are controlled coughing, mucus drainage, and “percussion”.  

You shouldn’t try these if you already have breathing difficulties; instead, go and see your GP. These exercises do not replace medical advice.  

3 ways to release mucus from your lungs

Controlled coughing

Coughing is a natural defence mechanism to remove mucus from your airways. But if you cough too much it can harm your respiratory tract and lungs. Uncontrolled coughing results in inflamed airways, causing them to narrow and trap mucus, which can then infect your lungs.  Conversely, “controlled” coughing loosens mucus and moves it through your airways, keeping your lungs and airways mucus-free.  

Here is an easy tip on help remove mucus from your airway. 

1. Sit on a chair with your shoulders relaxed and feet on the floor.
2. Placing the palms of your hands, with fingers interlocked, tight against your stomach, inhale deeply through your nose.
3. As you exhale, lean forward and push your hands gently into your tummy, and cough 2 or 3 times with your mouth slightly open. Make the coughs short, loud and sharp. 
4. Inhale again, but slowly and gently through your nose. Do not breathe fast, or through your mouth. Otherwise you may block the mucus leaving the lungs. It also can cause uncontrolled coughing.
5. Rest and repeat if necessary. 

Draining mucus from your lungs 

This diaphragmatic or “belly breathing” may be familiar to those who do Pilates, meditation or yoga. When holding certain postures, it can also help remove mucus. You can do this on a bed or the floor, but you will need pillows or cushions.  Make sure you have an empty stomach, and haven’t eaten in the last two hours. If you use an inhaler, wait at least 20-30 mins after using it. 

To breathe “diaphragmatically”, place one hand on your tummy and the other on your chest. As you breathe in deeply and slowly through your nose, push your tummy out as far as possible against your hand. You should feel the hand on your tummy move, whilst the hand on your chest doesn’t. When you breathe out, you should be able to feel the hand on your tummy move in. 

You can do this in the following 3 positions, applying the breathing technique for 2-3 mins each. If you need to cough, sit up and do controlled coughing as explained above. 

• Draining the front of your lungs

Lie on your back.  Your chest needs to be lower than your hips, so place at least two pillows under your bottom. Use other pillows under your head to give support.

• Draining the sides of your lungs

Lie on one side, and place two or three pillows under your hips, and another pillow under your head. Again, your chest should be lower than your hips. After a few minutes, turn over and repeat on the other side.

• Draining  the back of your lungs

Lie on your stomach. Place two or three pillows under your hips, and another pillow under your head.

Chest percussions

For best results, you can do this at the same time once you get in position for mucus drainage, but before you start your deep breathing, as this technique loosens the mucus in your lungs and facilitates drainage. It may be easier to have someone do this for you. 

• First, cup your hand, and lightly tap your chest and (if possible) your back. You may hear a loud sound, but you shouldn’t feel any pain.  Tap for a minute on each side, but avoiding your spine and breastbone. 

We hope this information is useful. If you need advice or have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us in Mill Hill Broadway and Islington. We are always glad to help.

 If you like this blog, please share! 

The post How can you drain mucus from the lungs?- 3 exercises you can do at home appeared first on Perea Clinic.