Yoga For Lung: Asanas To Improve Your Breathing

Delhi's pollution levels have seen an alarming rise that has resulted in severe health issues. It includes respiratory problems, eye irritation, and feeling fatigue. The blanket of smog over the cities gives an urgent call to fight for air quality degradation. From increased asthma cases to frequent sinus infections, respiratory problems are no longer rare.

For me, running through the day amidst pollution felt like a marathon, especially due to sinus and the season change. However, it was then that I realized one of the positives of doing yoga for lung benefits- how it helped improve the quality of my breathing and instilled a sense of calm.

This was an early discovery of what would become known as yoga - an art that has its benefit on breathing. Central to yoga are deep-breathing techniques and asanas which teach diaphragmatic breathing or expanding the lungs for increasing lung capacity. It enhances the efficiency of the respiratory system by helping one breathe more effectively while having a feeling of greater relaxation.

Some of the yoga poses are well known to target the chest and back muscles, the core and improve posture, giving maximum space for lung expansion for better lung functions, also helping to fight breathing complications caused by bad postures that may narrow down spaces in the lungs. Sometimes, even a number of yoga poses will facilitate the relief of the obstruction of the sinuses that normally causes congestion, enhancing better airflow through the nostrils, thus easing easy as well as effective breathing.

Beyond breathing, yoga benefits the lungs. When combined with chest-opening poses that improve posture, the practice becomes a good way to increase lung capacity and overall respiratory well-being. Here are some yoga poses to help boost lung capacity and support your breathing:

Lie flat on your stomach with your face down.

- Bring your torso up from the bottom gently, palms beside you.

- Your palms and lower body should touch the ground.

- Maintain this for 30 seconds and then relax

- Do it thrice or four times a day.

Benefits: This asana stretches the chest and lung space; therefore, more oxygen is absorbed into the body and, consequently, lung capacity increases.

- Sit on your calves with knees down, and make sure that your thighs do not touch your calves.

- Gradually lean back and put your hands on your ankles.

- Tilt your head back with your face looking upwards.

- Hold for 10-20 seconds and repeat for 3-5 minutes.

Benefits: Ustrasana stretches the whole front side of the body, expanding the chest cavity and making the breath go deeper.

- Lie on your back, bend knees, and have your feet on the floor, hip-width apart.

- Put your hands by your sides, with palms facing the floor.

- Inhale; arching the spine up, push feet into the ground and lift hips up.

- Hold for 4-8 breaths and release back on the floor

Benefits: chest expansion increases lung capacity and oxygen assimilation

4. Pranayama

- Pranayama is any breathing practice, which in itself includes deep breathing techniques, diaphragmatic respiration, and alternate nasal respiration.

- Pranayama increases lung exercise by increasing lung capacity by improving oxygenation and helping in respiratory efficiency.

Benefits: Practicing daily pranayama results in the control of a person's stress and thus helps in maintaining good regulation of breath for overall pulmonary health.

- Lie flat with your arms at your sides. Your palms should face upward.

- Spread legs slightly apart, wider than shoulder width.

- Focus on your breathing by letting each inhale be slow and natural and as slow and natural for every exhale.

Benefits: Shavasana relaxes the body, relieving respiratory pressure and promoting deep, cleansing breaths.

Increasing levels of pollution require extra attention to our lungs more than ever. Gentle but strong techniques of yoga could form a natural approach towards increased lung capacity and even in improving the function of breathing. It makes people breathe easier, relax better, and protect their lungs against the stress of pollution at modern times.

Take a deep breath, roll out your mat and let yoga guide you to healthier, stronger lungs.