A Guide on How to Increase Lung Capacity and Have Healthy Lungs

Updated on July 4, 2020
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Over 25 million Americans have asthma. Learning how to increase lung capacity can benefit your health more than you think.

Around 14.8 million adults have COPD, but 12 million people don’t know it. However, increasing your lung capacity is a good idea regardless of whether you have breathing problems or not.

Increasing your lung capacity will increase your quality of life. You, too, deserve to enjoy full, deep breaths. Here’s what you need to know about improving lung capacity and lung health:

How To Increase Lung Capacity: Don’t Smoke

Don’t pick up smoking and if you already smoke, start trying to quit. Any expert who knows how to keep lungs healthy will tell you to drop the habit.

Avoid secondhand cigarette smoke as well. Cigarette smoke in all forms destroys lung tissue and triggers the development of lung cancer. 

What’s more, when you quit smoking, the state of your teeth will improve as well. It will no longer look black or yellow. If you’ve just stopped smoking and want to restore your teeth’s condition, this Dentist based in el cajon can certainly help you.

Avoid Air Pollution

Avoid indoor and outdoor air pollution alike. Indoor pollution includes secondhand smoke, chemicals, radon gas, excessive dust or mold, and more. If possible, minimize your exposure to outdoor pollution.

Laughing

If you laugh a lot, you’re more likely to have healthy lungs. Not only will laughing boost your mood, but it will increase lung capacity as well.

Laughing pushes stale air out of your passages. In turn, this allows fresh air to travel throughout your lungs.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing can help your lungs reach full capacity. So can counting your inhales and exhales in seconds, then making them equal in length.

Diaphragmatic breathing is one of the best breathing exercises for asthma, COPD, and other conditions. It’s basically deep breathing with a focus on lowering your diaphragm to deepen your inhale. Professional singers use this technique to increase their lung capacity.

Exercise

Exercise will help your lungs more than you think. Your lungs don’t use their full capacity during most daily activities. In fact, lungs only reach half their capacity at rest.

Moderately intense physical activity also counteracts toxin and tar build-up in the lungs that are caused by pollution, allergens, and more.

Get Professional

If you want to know more about how to improve lung health, talk to a doctor or pulmonologist. If you’re a respiratory therapy student, consult the Respiratory Therapy Zone. This website has books, courses, and other resources that will help you learn more about lung health.

Prevent Infections

Prevent lung infections by getting influenza and pneumonia vaccinations. Practice good oral hygiene to get rid of bacteria that can cause infections.

Stay away from crowds during cold/flu season. If you’re sick, keep your distance from others until you’re better.

Keep Your Lungs Healthy and Happy

Over 34.3 million Americans smoke cigarettes. Cigarettes contribute to most lung diseases in the United States.

More than 16 million Americans already live with smoking-related diseases. Learning how to increase lung capacity can still improve your condition if you’re already sick.

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