Learn to breathe correctly and strengthen your lung capacity

The first physiological process we do independently, as soon as we are born, is breathe. We breathe automatically to get oxygen, which is essential to obtain the energy that our bodies need to function.

The amount of air we are capable of keeping in our lungs and after breathing out completely is called lung capacity. Normally, adult lung capacity is six litres. Athletes may have even greater lung capacity.

Improving your lung capacity is essential because>

• Your heart will work better and with less effort.
• Nutrients reach all the cells better.
• It improves intestinal transit and digestion.
• You will have more stamina and get less tired.
• It speeds up the metabolism.
• It reduces resting heart rate.

How to increase your breathing capacity

1. Practice deep breathing. Strengthen the ribcage and get more lung tissue elasticity and resistance. To do this, do diaphragmatic breathing.
   Lie face up and put your hands on your stomach. Breathe in deeply while your belly fills and your lungs expand. Hold your breath for a few seconds and breathe out slowly, observing how your belly lowers.
   Always breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth.
2. Watch your posture. Sit up straight with your lower back well supported and keep your shoulders down. If you have to stand, keep the legs slightly apart, hips forward, head high and shoulders back. When you are sitting watching TV, try not to slouch.
3. Inflate balloons. Blowing up balloons is a good exercise for people who have had a respiratory problem such as an oedema or pneumonia to recover respiratory strength. Playing a musical instrument such as a flute or the bagpipes is also good exercise and improves your resistance.
4. Keep your upper respiratory tract free, your nose unblocked and keep your mucous membranes moist so that the air comes in filtered and warm.
5. Drink plenty. This will stop mucous from building up and interfering with your breathing.
6. Do sport. Sport is by far the best way of improving your breathing capacity. Running and swimming, as well as other aerobic activities, improve alveolar development and protect the bronchi and bronchioles, making gas exchange more effective and improving oxygenation.

Sometimes, our breathing is less effective because of a series of factors that influence the process:

• Stressful situations that cause shallow breathing:
• Poor posture, which does not allow the diaphragm and lungs to expand correctly.
• Medical problems such as asthma, lung and upper respiratory tract disease, nasal congestion, etc.
• Poor dietary habits such as eating very fast or very large meals, that cause you to swallow more air.
• Smoking has a detrimental impact on the lungs.
• Polluted, smoky atmospheres contain poorly oxygenated air.

 Pay attention to your breathing, take a deep breath and fill yourself with life!