5 Respiratory Exercises to Help People with Lung Cancer

The worst feeling is when you can't breathe or have shortness of breath. This is also called dyspnea. When you have lung cancer, you may feel this every day. Respiratory problems can be very annoying and make it difficult for you to carry out daily activities.

Here are some breathing exercises that can help your life with lung cancer more easily.

Before you practice breathing, you need to build a mood first. Create an atmosphere where you can relax.

You are recommended to use clothes that are loose and not limiting.

Breath exercises that you can do

1. Abdominal breathing technique

When you have lung cancer, besides shortness of breath, you may feel stressed or anxious. This exercise is intended to reduce heart rate and blood pressure to make you more calm.

How to do it: Put one hand on the chest and one hand on the stomach. Take a deep breath, use the diaphragm for deeper breath. Hold your breath as long as you can and then slowly release.

2. Equal breathing

This exercise is very simple and can be done anywhere and anytime. Yoga experts who created this technique say that this exercise can calm the nervous system, increase focus and reduce stress.

This exercise can also help you sleep.

How to do it: When you are in a comfortable position, breathe through your nose when counting to the fourth count. Then breathe through your nose and count to the fourth count. Easy, right?

3. Guided visualization

This exercise combines your mind with your breathing. Guided visualization helps you be where you want, rather than letting your mind be in an internal dialogue that makes you feel stressed.

How to do it: Before you start, imagine a pleasant place. Deep breath while focusing on a pleasant and positive picture to replace negative thoughts.

4. Progressive relaxation

The purpose of this exercise is to make your whole body relax by breathing. You need to hold your breath for this exercise, hold your breath as long as you feel comfortable to avoid feeling dizzy.

How to do it: Find a comfortable position, it is recommended to sit so that you can have the greatest lung capacity. Close your eyes and focus on tightening and relaxing each muscle group for 2 to 3 seconds each.

Start with the soles of the feet and toes, then the knees, thighs, back, chest, arms, hands, neck, jaw and eyes. As long as you do this, do deep and slow breathing.

5. Alternate nostril breathing

Maybe this exercise will look funny, but this exercise is very effective! This breath exercise will provide a sense of calm and balance, and connect the right and left parts of the brain.

Remember that this exercise can only be done if you do not have a blockage in your nose, like a narrow channel where air is difficult to pass through.

How to do it: To start, place your thumb and ring finger on both of your nostrils, with your right thumb in the right nostril and ring finger in the left nostril. Lift your thumb and inhale as long as you can, then close the right nostril with your thumb while lifting your ring finger from the left nostril and breathing.

Breathing is what we do every day and many people don't realize they are breathing the wrong way. 

Trying these exercises will not only make your mind calm, but also improve lung function, especially with people who have lung cancer.

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