Breathing is a natural activity, but some people develop habits that prevent it from occurring efficiently. Strengthening your breathing can lead to a greater sense of calm, more energy and may help alleviate stress-induced health problems like panic attacks, hyperventilation and digestive problems, writes Dr. Andrew Weil on his website. Borrow exercises from yoga and the medical community to empower you to breathe better.
Bellows Breath
A yoga breathing technique intended to help raise energy and increase alertness, the bellows breath calls for a rapid inhale and exhale pattern. To perform the breath, sit quietly with your legs crossed and draw air in and out quickly through your nose with your mouth closed. The breaths should be as short as possible, inducing a quick rise and fall at the diaphragm. Beginners should try for just 15 seconds at first. As your breathing becomes stronger, add five seconds at a time and work your way up to several minutes of bellows breathing. Dr. Weil notes that this breath impacts the chest, abdomen and back of the neck and can help you feel as stimulated as a strong workout or a cup of coffee.
Pursed Lip Breathing
Pursed-lip breathing helps people who hyperventilate---from panic, exercise or chronic pulmonary disease--gain better control of their breath. The exercise is perfectly safe and helps reduce feelings of shortness of breath. To perform this simple technique, inhale for two seconds through your nose and then consciously exhale against lips that are partially closed for about four seconds---as if you were going to blow out a candle or let loose a whistle. You may find that bending forward and supporting your arms on a table helps facilitate the controlled exhale even more. This type of breath is effective for those undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation because it increases pressure in the airways and prevents them from collapsing, notes Dr. Bartolome R. Celli in a 2007 report on Merck's official website.
Diaphragm Strengthening
Licensed physical therapist and certified Iyengar Yoga instructor, Julie Gudmestad, reports on the Yoga Journal website that one of the primary muscles involved in respiration, the diaphragm, may become compromised due to years of wearing tight clothing, inflexible abdominal muscles, poor posture or breath-holding. When this happens, it contributes less to the breathing process and your breath becomes weaker. Gudmestad suggests a resistance exercise to help strengthen the diaphragm, and consequently the breath. Lie on your back and place a soft, pliable weight on your belly such as a bag of rice or sandbag. As a beginner, strive for just a pound and work your way up to using ten or more pounds. Breathe naturally, but focus on keeping the inhalations and exhalations smooth in nature. During this exercise, the diaphragm is forced to work against weight---making you more aware of the role of the muscle in breathing and strengthening it in the process.
