back to Heart--Lungs previous page
Breathing exercises help you make use of your entire lung and keep your chest muscles active.
Most breathing exercises are meant to be done very slowly. In fact, the slower, and deeper the breath, the better. Some
people get dizzy when breathing too deeply. If this occurs, simply reduce the size of the breath towards what is typical for
you, and gradually increase when you are ready. Exercises focus on three areas: the upper chest, the lower side ribs,
and the diaphragm. The diaphragm is the large flat muscle located between the lungs and the abdomen. It moves when
we breathe in (inhaling) and breathe out (exhaling). If you have breathing problems, proper use of the diaphragm is very
important when you exhale.
Sample Exercises
Pursed lip breathing (for use when you are short of breath):
1. Breathe in slowly through your nose for 1 count (1 to 2 seconds).
2. Purse your lips as if you were going to whistle.
3. Breathe out gently through pursed lips for 2 slow counts (exhale twice as slowly as you inhale). Let the air escape
naturally and don't force the air out of your lungs.
4. Keep doing pursed lip breathing until you are not short of breath.
Rolling Waves (as a regular exercise for those who feel well)
1. Lay on your back, with the knees bent, or however you are most comfortable. If you have trouble with breathing, then
sit in a recliner, with it tipped back as much as you find comfortable.
2. Place one hand on your tummy and the other hand on your chest.
3. Breathe slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth. Make a “sniffing” in and “whooshing” out sound to
exaggerate filling your lungs with air.
4. Make a conscious note of how your hands move as you breathe in and out.
5. Practice filling your lower lungs by breathing so that your bottom hand, the one on your stomach, goes up when you
inhale. Stick your stomach out as you inhale to really feel the bottom part of the lungs fill. Repeat this about 10 times.
6. Now concentrate on filling the upper lungs.
7. Make a conscious effort to raise the hand on your chest as you fill your upper lungs.
8. Now combine these two movements, in sequence. Breath so that the lower lungs, then the upper lungs, fill, lifting first
the bottom, then the top hand with your abdomen, then your chest, as you breathe. Think about the fact that the lungs
extend all the way from just above the belly button up into the area near the collar bone.
9. Practice breathing in and out like this for about 5 minutes. Notice that your stomach and your chest will rise separately,
and your stomach and chest will rise like “rolling waves”.
Breathing exercises help you make use of your entire lung and keep your chest muscles active.
- They allow you to get more oxygen with each breath and to breathe with less effort.
- They help if you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Breathing exercises also can reduce
symptoms caused by anxiety and stress. - Anxiety and stress increase the heart and breathing rates, and increase the body's demand for oxygen. Breathing
exercises can improve your performance during physical activity, as well. - You may be asked to do breathing exercises before and after abdominal, heart, or lung surgery. The exercises
help prevent pneumonia when you are not able to get up and move around easily.
Most breathing exercises are meant to be done very slowly. In fact, the slower, and deeper the breath, the better. Some
people get dizzy when breathing too deeply. If this occurs, simply reduce the size of the breath towards what is typical for
you, and gradually increase when you are ready. Exercises focus on three areas: the upper chest, the lower side ribs,
and the diaphragm. The diaphragm is the large flat muscle located between the lungs and the abdomen. It moves when
we breathe in (inhaling) and breathe out (exhaling). If you have breathing problems, proper use of the diaphragm is very
important when you exhale.
Sample Exercises
Pursed lip breathing (for use when you are short of breath):
1. Breathe in slowly through your nose for 1 count (1 to 2 seconds).
2. Purse your lips as if you were going to whistle.
3. Breathe out gently through pursed lips for 2 slow counts (exhale twice as slowly as you inhale). Let the air escape
naturally and don't force the air out of your lungs.
4. Keep doing pursed lip breathing until you are not short of breath.
Rolling Waves (as a regular exercise for those who feel well)
1. Lay on your back, with the knees bent, or however you are most comfortable. If you have trouble with breathing, then
sit in a recliner, with it tipped back as much as you find comfortable.
2. Place one hand on your tummy and the other hand on your chest.
3. Breathe slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth. Make a “sniffing” in and “whooshing” out sound to
exaggerate filling your lungs with air.
4. Make a conscious note of how your hands move as you breathe in and out.
5. Practice filling your lower lungs by breathing so that your bottom hand, the one on your stomach, goes up when you
inhale. Stick your stomach out as you inhale to really feel the bottom part of the lungs fill. Repeat this about 10 times.
6. Now concentrate on filling the upper lungs.
7. Make a conscious effort to raise the hand on your chest as you fill your upper lungs.
8. Now combine these two movements, in sequence. Breath so that the lower lungs, then the upper lungs, fill, lifting first
the bottom, then the top hand with your abdomen, then your chest, as you breathe. Think about the fact that the lungs
extend all the way from just above the belly button up into the area near the collar bone.
9. Practice breathing in and out like this for about 5 minutes. Notice that your stomach and your chest will rise separately,
and your stomach and chest will rise like “rolling waves”.
Breathing Exercises
from Living Older, Living Better! by Katrina Gwinn, MD
Cat-Cow
The Cat-Cow breathing exercises come from Yoga. This exercise should be avoided if you have sore knees or trouble
getting down onto all fours. If you have wrist problems, instead of putting your hands with the palms down, you can
lean on your fists. If you have knee problems, sometimes a towel or cushion under the knees can make it possible to
do this exercise. But never do this if it causes any pain.
1. Get on your hands and knees (“all fours”).
2. Allow your neck to relax, don’t tilt it up or down, and just allow it to be straight with your spine.
3. Breathe in deeply through your nose.
4. As you breathe in, push your stomach out, and let your back sway down like a cow’s sway back, as much as is
comfortable for you. Don’t put pressure on your back.
5. Now breathe out through the mouth, as you do it, arch your back up like an angry cat. Arching the back lets even
more air exit the lungs.
6. Repeat this about 10 times.
back to Heart--Lungs previous page
The Cat-Cow breathing exercises come from Yoga. This exercise should be avoided if you have sore knees or trouble
getting down onto all fours. If you have wrist problems, instead of putting your hands with the palms down, you can
lean on your fists. If you have knee problems, sometimes a towel or cushion under the knees can make it possible to
do this exercise. But never do this if it causes any pain.
1. Get on your hands and knees (“all fours”).
2. Allow your neck to relax, don’t tilt it up or down, and just allow it to be straight with your spine.
3. Breathe in deeply through your nose.
4. As you breathe in, push your stomach out, and let your back sway down like a cow’s sway back, as much as is
comfortable for you. Don’t put pressure on your back.
5. Now breathe out through the mouth, as you do it, arch your back up like an angry cat. Arching the back lets even
more air exit the lungs.
6. Repeat this about 10 times.
back to Heart--Lungs previous page
At left: The "cow" position of the
"cat-cow" breathing exercise.
"cat-cow" breathing exercise.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |  |  |  |  |