Lung health
We all know exercise is good for us. It helps to boost our general fitness, improve our mental health and mood, and it may help us lose weight and lower the risk of some diseases. But let’s get more specific and talk about how regular exercise can improve our lung function.
Article by Lena Kalchenko, yoga teacher (click here to read more about her)
The lungs deliver oxygen into the bloodstream while removing carbon dioxide from the body. Every cell in our body draws oxygen from that blood and deposits CO2 as waste back into the bloodstream. Lung function and lung capacity determine how efficiently the lungs undertake this process.
Lung capacity indicates how much air they can hold - an average lung can hold almost six liters of air which is about three large bottles of soda - and how quickly air moves in and out of them.
Lungs mature by the time we are about 20-25 years old. After about the age of 35, it is normal for lung function to decline gradually which can make breathing slightly more difficult as we get older. It is important to seek professional help if you notice any sudden difficulty breathing or shortness of breath as this could be a sign of lung disease not related to normal aging.
There are several changes that happen as we age that may cause a decline in lung capacity. The good news is that with exercise we can maintain and even increase lung capacity.
When you are physically active, the heart and lungs work harder to supply the additional oxygen that the muscles demand. Regular exercise not only makes your muscles stronger, it also makes your lungs and heart stronger. As your physical fitness improves, your body becomes more efficient at getting oxygen into the bloodstream and transporting it to the working muscles. That's one of the reasons that you are less likely to become short of breath during exercise over time.
Some types of exercise, such as belly breathing (1), simple deep breathing, rib stretching, even laughing and singing, can also strengthen the muscles of the neck and chest, including the diaphragm and the muscles between the ribs that work together to power inhaling and exhaling.
Overall, the more active your lifestyle the better chance you'll have healthy lungs.
(1) Belly breathing – it is a deep breathing technique. It helps to strengthen your diagram, the main muscle that helps the breathe. Inhale through the nose filling your lungs with air, feeling your stomach move outward. Exhale through the nose or the mouth as the abdomen moves back down.
