Pursed Lip Breathing, Recognize the Benefits and How to Do It

Pursed lip breathing is a breathing technique that is done by pursing the lips. This technique can provide many health benefits, from managing anxiety to relieving symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There are several types of breathing techniques that can be used to improve lung function, one of which is pursed lip breathing. This technique has the main benefit of controlling the speed or rate of breathing, so that a person can breathe better.

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Pursed Lip Breathing, Recognize the Benefits and How to Do It

Although commonly used when doing physical activity, pursed lip breathing techniques can also be used to treat shortness of breath, for example in people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, pursed lip breathing can only relieve the symptoms of both conditions. So, the sufferer still requires treatment by a doctor.

Various Benefits of Pursed Lip Breathing

There are a number of benefits that can be obtained from pursed lip breathing, namely:

1. Overcoming anxiety

Pursed lip breathing can be used to relieve anxiety. The reason is, this breathing technique is able to control the rate of breathing and make the body more relaxed so that it can overcome symptoms of anxiety, such as fast breathing and increased heart rate.

2. Lower stress

Because it can make the body more relaxed and calm, the pursed lip breathing technique can not only relieve anxiety, but also improve mood and reduce stress.

3. Relieves asthma symptoms

Another benefit of pursed lip breathing is to relieve asthma symptoms, such as shortness of breath. This benefit can be obtained because the technique can put a little pressure on the back which is called positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP).

This pressure can keep the airways open when exhaling, so as to release trapped air in the lungs and improve the process of gas exchange in the lungs.

In addition, pursed lip breathing can also make the body more relaxed. So, it's good to control the fast breathing rate that often occurs when people with asthma experience shortness of breath.

4. Relieve COPD symptoms

Pursed lip breathing can also be done to relieve shortness of breath symptoms in COPD. Like the previous benefits for asthma, this breathing technique can open the airways when exhaling so that it can release air trapped in the lungs.

That way, slowly the breathing rate of COPD patients will slow down and their bodies become more relaxed.

How to Do Pursed Lip Breathing

If you are interested in trying pursed lip breathing, here are the steps:

Sit down and relax your neck and shoulder muscles.
Inhale slowly for 2 seconds through your nose with your mouth closed.
Place your hand on your stomach and feel your belly slowly grow as you inhale.
Exhale slowly with pursed lips, like when you want to whistle, for 4 seconds.
Feel your belly slowly getting smaller as you exhale.

In order to do pursed lip breathing well, it is recommended that you practice doing it 4-5 times, for 5-10 minutes a day.

Pursed lip breathing has many health benefits, especially to control breathing rate and overcome shortness of breath. Therefore, this breathing technique is good for people with asthma and COPD.

However, keep in mind, pursed lip breathing can only help relieve the symptoms of these two conditions. To treat asthma and COPD, sufferers still need medical treatment by a doctor.

Even if it doesn't pose a risk to your health, you should still consult your doctor before doing pursed lip breathing, especially if you have asthma or COPD.