Breathing exercises

When you are living with COPD, the simple act of breathing can sometimes feel overwhelming. Breathing exercises teach you how to relax and control your breathing, which can be very helpful for improving your COPD symptoms and quality of life.¹ Breathing exercises are also a key part of any Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) programme.

Just like any other exercise, breathing exercises are designed to work, stretch and grow particular muscles. In this case you are focusing on your main breathing muscle, the diaphragm.²

Your diaphragm sits underneath your lungs. When you breathe in it tightens, pulling your lungs down, stretching and expanding them to allow space for as much air as possible. As you breathe out, your diaphragm relaxes back into a dome shape, helping push the air out.²

By keeping your breathing muscle in good shape and learning several different exercises, you can help manage short periods of breathlessness and any anxiety you feel,² as well as increasing the amount of exercise you can do and improving your quality of life.¹

Asthma+Lung UK provide a range of information and breathing techniques to help you in your day-to-day life. A summary of these techniques can be found below.

Breathing control

Breathing control, or relaxed tummy breathing, will help when you’re short of breath or feeling anxious. It is simply breathing gently, using the least effort.²Here’s how to do it:²

Get into a comfortable position, with your arms supported on arm rests or your lap
Let your shoulders and body be relaxed and loose
Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach
Close your eyes to help you relax and focus on your breathing
Slowly breathe in through your nose, with your mouth closed. Your stomach will move out against your hand as the air reaches low in your lungs. The aim is that, when your breathing is controlled, the hand on your chest hardly moves
Breathe out through your nose. Your stomach will fall gently. Imagine all the tension in your body leaving as you let the air out
Try to use as little effort as possible and make your breaths slow, relaxed and smooth. With every breath out, try to feel more relaxed. Gradually try to breathe more slowly

Rise

the tummy as you breathe in

Relax

the breath out

Rest

and wait for the next breath to come

As you will want to use breathing control when you start to feel breathless or anxious, it is best to practice when you are relaxed and not out of breath so that you know exactly what to do when you need it.²

Pursed-lips breathing

Blow-as-you-go

Paced breathing

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Pursed-lips breathing

This technique can be used at any time and helps to empty all the air out of your lungs. You may find it particularly useful as COPD causes narrow airways which can trap air in your lungs and make breathing uncomfortable:²

Breathe in gently through your nose, then purse your lips as though you’re going to blow out a candle
Breathe out while imagining blowing out a candle
Blow out only for as long as is comfortable – don’t force your lungs to empty

Blow-as-you-go

You can use this type of breathing to help make tasks and activities easier or while doing something that makes you breathless:²

Breathe in before you make the effort
Then breathe out while you’re making the effort
For example, when standing up, breathe in before you stand up, and then blow out as you stand up. You can also try pursing your lips as you blow out

Paced breathing

Paced breathing is useful when you are active, for example, walking or climbing stairs. You pace your steps to your breathing. You can use it in combination with pursed-lips breathing or blow-as-you-go:²

Count to yourself as you walk or move. For example, breathe in for one step and then take either one or two steps as you breathe out
Take more steps as you breathe in or as you breathe out, whichever feels better for you. Or you may find that an even count of two steps in, two steps out, is best

Want to discuss this topic in your next appointment?

References

Li Y, et al. Breathing Exercises in the Treatment of COPD: An Overview of Systematic Reviews. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2022; 17:3075–3085.
Asthma + Lung UK. How Can I Manage My Breathlessness? Available at: https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/breathlessness/how-to-manage-breathlessness

Breathing exercises.