Lungs play an important role in keeping us strong and well. Taking time to ‘work out’ your lungs can improve your overall health. Breathing feeds oxygen to every cell in the body. Without sufficient oxygen, people are more prone to health problems, including respiratory illnesses, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and even heart disease. Regular day-to-day activity doesn't help you use your lungs to full capacity (really only about 50%) you need to challenge the lungs with more intense activity.

Follow these 8 tips and you can improve your lung health and keep these vital organs going strong for life:

1. Diaphragmatic breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing uses the awareness of the diaphragm muscle, which separates the organs in the abdomen from the lungs. When you concentrate on lowering the diaphragm as you breathe in, you'll get a much deeper inhale.

2. Simple deep breathing

Deep breathing can help you get closer to reaching your lungs' full capacity. As you slowly inhale, consciously expand your belly with awareness of lowering the diaphragm. Next expand your ribs, allowing the floating ribs to open like wings. Finally, allow the upper chest to expand and lift. After this, exhale as completely as possible by letting the chest fall, then contracting the ribs and, finally, bring the stomach muscles in and up to lift the diaphragm and expel the last bit of air.

3. "Counting" your breaths

You can also increase your lung capacity by increasing the length of your inhalations and exhalations. Start by counting how long a natural breath takes. If it takes to the count of five to inhale it should take to the count of five to exhale. You'll want them to be of equal length. Once you've discovered the count for your average breath, add one more count to each inhale and exhale until you can comfortably extend the length of time it takes to fill and empty your lungs.

The point is to avoid straining or being uncomfortable. It should be a gradual and easy process.

4. Watching your posture

Sitting tall and reaching overhead makes more room for your lungs. A simple technique for giving your lungs even more room is leaning back slightly in a stable chair, lifting the chest and opening the front of your body as you breathe deeply.

5. Staying hydrated

Staying well hydrated by taking in fluids throughout the day helps keep the mucosal linings in the lungs thin which helps the lungs function better.

One final word of advice if you want your lungs to function at a higher capacity: laugh.

"Laughing is a great exercise to work the abdominal muscles and increase lung capacity it allows fresh air to enter into more areas of the lung.

Know more: https://www.rush.edu/health-wellness/discover-heal...

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