Breathe easy - Bangalore Mirror

---

Breathe easy - Bangalore Mirror Posted: 04 Dec 2020 04:30 PM PST By Sneha Mahale In these days of Covid-19, it's important to keep our lungs healthy and our stress levels under control with these simple exercises These are unprecedented times. While it is important to wear a face mask, follow social distancing whenever and wherever possible, and maintain hand hygiene, it is also critically important to keep the lungs and immune system healthy. It may just improve the body's ability to fight off different infections or illness. "There has been a rise in lung health-related queries since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. People are showing more interest in maintaining their respiratory health," says Dr Kavya Bhatia, physiotherapist, Masina Hospital Reliva Physiotherapy Center. "There's also a general willingness across all age groups to invest more time in physical health training, and respiratory exercises should be an integral part of the regimen." But the pandemic isn't the only reason to maintain lung health. According to a study by healthcare platform Practo, conducted last month, there has been a 20 per cent rise in respiratory health-related queries in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Kolkata due to a rise in pollution and the onset of winter. When it comes to caring for your lungs, offence is the best defence. Breathing exercises don't take a lot of time out of your day and can be effective, too. So if you're interested in reducing stress, relieving pain or improving overall lung function, here are a few exercises to do: Stress and anxiety It is natural to feel stress and anxiety when we face a crisis or the unknown. So much has changed in such a short time that we are all still trying to cope. But stress does take a toll on one's physical and mental health. "Experiencing breathlessness, chest pain, sweating, confusion and palpitations during an anxiety attack or in a stressful situation is quite common. Effective stress management can help cope with the stress, so you can be happier, healthier and more productive," says Dr Bhatia. Try this: Take a slow breath while counting to 5. Hold your breath and count to 5. Release your breath to the count of 5. Do five sets of this exercise five times a day. Air pollution Prolonged exposure to air pollutants has been known to irritate the airways and cause shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, asthma episodes and chest pain. "People might also contract chronic obsessive pulmonary disorder (COPD), a group of lung diseases that block airflow and make it difficult to breathe," says Dr Jayalakshmi TK, consultant pulmonologist, Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai. One way to counter this is by avoiding vigorous exercises in a highly polluted atmosphere. Also avoid smoking, and seek early treatment if you suffer from a cough, wheezing or shortness of breath. Try this: Sit straight and cross your legs. Pull in a deep breath. Exhale quickly and suddenly, making a puffing sound. The abdominal muscles should be drawn inwards when you exhale. Do this for 10 minutes and then relax your body. Wearing a mask Breathing with a mask on is difficult for most individuals. Some people also complain of breathlessness, suffocation or suffer from claustrophobia. Unfortunately, the more efficient the mask, the more difficult it is to breathe in it as a greater resistance is felt and more effort needed. "Wear high-efficiency masks in high-risk situations (closed, crowded spaces). For day-to-day situations, a simple cloth mask or a surgical mask should suffice. One should avoid exercising with high-efficiency masks as the increased demands for oxygen can lead to a lot of discomfort. The mask also needs to be dry. "Moisture from one's breath can clog the mask, making breathing more difficult," says Dr Lancelot Pinto, consultant pulmonologist, PD Hinduja Hospital & MRC. Try this: Sit down in a chair, and relax your neck and shoulder muscles. Breathe in slowly through your nose while keeping your mouth closed. Count to yourself, "Inhale, one, two." Purse your lips as if you are going to whistle or gently blow out a candle. Exhale through your mouth, slowly and gently through pursed lips. Covid-19 recovery "About 40 per cent of Covid-19 patients suffer from breathlessness, cough, chest pain etc. The most common lung problem faced during post-Covid-19 recovery is lung fibrosis (scarring of the lungs). It can heavily impact overall health and recovery," says Dr Jayalakshmi. Try this: Breathing exercises could be done with the incentive spirometer three times a day to 10 counts. Or, lie on your back and bend your knees. The bottom of your feet should be resting on the bed. Place your hands on top of your stomach or wrap them around your sides. Then, close your mouth and place your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Breathe in and pull air into your stomach where your hands are. Spread your fingers apart with each breath. Exhale through the nose. Continue this for one minute. Pain relief Chronic pain affects health in the same way as stress and anxiety. "It is a constant unpleasant state, and can impact physical and mental health in the long run," says Dr Pinto. But it does not mean that you just have to grin and bear the pain. Try this: In the 4-7-8 method, you close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four. Hold your breath for a count of seven. Finally, exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight. How to care for your lungs Avoid smoking. It is a major cause of lung cancer and COPD, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Those who are constantly exposed to chemicals or dust at the workplace, or have smoked in the past, should conduct screening spirometry tests to diagnose lung disease at an early stage. One should also minimise exposure to outdoor air pollution, and avoids crowd during the cold and flu season. Lastly, be careful while feeding pigeons. Pigeon-related lung disease is common in cities. Build lung capacity Maintaining a healthy weight automatically improves lung capacity, as obesity restricts the lung in multiple ways. A strong heart helps build strong lungs. People should try brisk walking, jogging, running or cycling to improve overall lung capacity. Practicing pranayama or doing yoga with a special focus on breathing techniques can help.

You are subscribed to email updates from "chronic pain,chronic respiratory disease,distress syndrome" - Google News. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States