Welcome to part five of our series "Breathe"! Today we'll be talking about breathing exercises to support recovery from Covid.
Covid attacks the respiratory system and can cause significant damage. Recovering your lung function post-covid is possible but can require therapy and exercises for months even after the infection is treated. If you're suffering from severe illness, stop reading this article and seek professional attention immediately from your doctor or healthcare professional.
This article offers a handful of breathing exercises to support the recovery of lung function. On the road to recovery start simple, and focus on just breathing.
At Health Wise, we deliver valuable information to our community, we hope to provide you with simple tips and tools to practice at home in your free time. Visit our blog to learn more.
Our clinic has over thirty years of clinical experience. We aim to deliver the best Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments in Hong Kong. If you want to learn more about our clinic or make an appointment, feel free to contact us.
Follow this link here for bookings. Alternatively, you can call 2526 7908 or email info@chinesemed.hk.
Let's get started on the article!
Article Contents:
What Are Breathing Exercises?
The body is designed to breathe through the nose with mouth breathing as a redundancy.
The nose is the only organ in the body that can humidify the air as it enters the lungs. It helps to make the air warm and moisturized, and therefore easier for your lungs to take in and utilize
In addition, nose breathing filters the air for contaminants through nasal hairs. Nose breathing also helps to improve oxygen circulation in the body, as it produces a vasodilator called nitric oxide in the process.
Deep breathing through the nose can help to restore diaphragm function and increase lung capacity. The goal of the following exercises is to build up the ability to breathe deeply during any activity as well as rest,
Learn more about: Astounding Benefits of Nose Breathing
Take a look at this insightful book "Breath" by James Nestor which provides cutting-edge insights into the importance of breathing properly.
Precautions
Do not begin exercises, and contact your doctor, if:
You have a fever
You have any shortness of breath or difficulty breathing while resting
You have any chest pain or palpitations (“fluttering” of the heart in the chest)
You have new swelling in your legs
STOP exercise immediately if you develop any of the following symptoms:
Dizziness
Shortness of breath more than normal
Chest pain
Cool, clammy skin
Excessive fatigue
Irregular heartbeat
Any symptoms you consider an emergency
Get Ready
Here's a relaxing soundscape to bring you into the moment and focus on the breath. Start playing our music video below or visit this Youtube link directly and let's get started on the next section.
Phase 1 Deep Breathing On Your Back
Lay on your back with your knees bent. Allow the bottom of your feet to rest on the ground.
Place both your hands on top of your stomach.
Close your mouth
Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth.
Breathe in through your nose pulling the air deep into your stomach.
With your hands on your stomach aim to spread your fingers apart with each breath.
Slowly exhale through your nose.
Repeat deep breaths for one minute.
Rest and repeat for three sets.
Become aware of how you feel at the end of the exercise.
We encourage you to achieve better health and wellness every day. This is a great starting point simply by taking a few minutes out of your day to complete these small breathing exercises.
If you're confident in your ability to complete this exercise, let's jump onto phase 2!
Phase 2 Deep Breathing On Your Stomach
Lay on your stomach and rest your head on your hands.
Close your mouth.
Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth.
Once again breathe in through your nose and pull air deep into your stomach.
Focus on your allowing your stomach to push the ground as you breathe.
Slowly exhale through your nose.
Repeat deep breaths for one minute.
Rest and repeat for three sets.
Once again focus your awareness on how you feel at the end of this exercise.
Are you ready for Phase 3? Stay tuned for the next article in our "Breathe" series.
Health Wise Chinese Medicine Clinic
We can try to manage conditions ourselves, however, you may want to seek professional help for the best results.
At HealthWise, our professional team of practitioners will work together with you to create a custom solution to suit your condition and your body's needs. Come and see us today.
For inquiries. you can follow this link here. Alternatively, you can call 2526 7908 or email info@chinesemed.hk.
Learn More About Chinese Medicine
Visit our Health Wise Blog, we have a number of informative articles to help our patients. Here's a series of articles that we think may be beneficial:
Breathe (Part 1) The Importance Of Breathing On Your Health
Breathe (Part 2) A Simple 4-7-8 Breathing Technique
We aim to continue to provide more useful Traditional Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture information at our Health Wise Chinese Medicine's Newsletter page.
Visit this link here to find other blog articles.
Keep up to date with our latest articles by following our social media!
#chinesemed.hk
Comments