4 ways to exercise your lungs

Pulmonary exercise has been shown to improve your health and quality of life, reduce shortness of breath, and increase your capacity for work outs. Here are four ways to get your lungs exercising.

• Joining a choir has been shown to be beneficial to people with respiratory disease. It's an uplifting practice that also enhances your well-being. A singing session exercises the respiratory muscles and improves confidence.
• There are choirs specifically established for people with lung disorders and other chronic diseases that help with bonding over a common challenge. These groups rehearse weekly, which gives people with respiratory problems a chance to meet and socialize.
• Some hold public concerts to raise funds for the choir, which is an excellent confidence booster.

• A structured exercise programme is suitable for people with mild to moderate respiratory disease and can be tailored to meet any specific requirements.
• Workouts include walking and gentle movement, as well as breath control. These drills have been shown to reduce breathlessness and improve emotional well-being and are particularly suited to those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
• Some structured programs run on a six-week cycle and include health education while others focus on long-term maintenance.

•  One other way of gently exercising includes walking, adjusting the distance depending on the amount of breathlessness. Dog walking is ideal and gets people exercising in the open air.

• Swimming is a good exercise for people with asthma as it builds up lung muscle and the warm moist air is less likely to trigger an attack. This exercise will tone other muscles too.
• Yoga is also beneficial and helps tone muscles. If you're not active, the muscles can get weaker, so regular exercise will help keep you in shape.

• Before exercising, talk to your family doctor who can suggest types of exercise suitable for your condition. They also know about local programs open to people with lung disease, some of which may be funded.
• Before long you will see the difference from singing or yoga or whatever you choose to keep in shape. Your lungs will enjoy a workout just as much as you do.