How to breathe: this way, or that?

By Gale Lyman Posted on March 10, 2022March 10, 2022 Category :

Stress Management

Concise information about six ways you can effectively use breathing techniques for yourself or your patients, with credible links for further exploration.

What are breathing techniques for?

Honestly, if you google “how to breathe” you’ll get more hits than you have time to read in a lifetime. Healthcare providers teach breathwork to patients for lots of purposes, with specific techniques for patients with COPD, weak respiratory muscles, blood pressure, and anxiety, as well as post op patients and women in childbirth labor. The number of breathing methods for stress management is overwhelming, creating so much confusion. This blog offers concise information about six ways you can use breathing techniques for yourself or your patients. I included some credible links if you want to dive deeper.

Six Breathing Exercises

Recover from lung infections (pneumonia, bronchitis, Covid-19)

Breathing Exercises | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (mskcc.org)

From Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, this link connects you to how-to information about seven exercises to stretch and strengthen breathing muscles following infection. Included is a pdf to share with patients, available in Large Font English, Russian and Spanish

COPD breathwork

Pursed Lip Breathing | American Lung Association

For patients with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)

Includes a video in English and Spanish

Hypertension/stress

HerbertBensonRelaxationResponse2016 – YouTube

Although used for a number of purposes, much research into the effectiveness of Relaxation Response in reducing chronic stress has been conducted with people who have heart disease, particularly hypertension.

Surgery recovery

Respiratory exercises | Preparations | Preparing for your hysterectomy (allinahealth.org)

Deep breathing, coughing, and incentive spirometer exercises may speed recovery and lower the risk of lung problems as described in this Alina Health System blog

Pain of childbirth

During childbirth, Lamaze and other similar methods teach controlled breathing techniques to reduce perception of pain. For an overview, check out this blog: 5 Types of Delivery Breathing Techniques (webmd.com) Belly-breathing and pant-pant-blow are described in this blog from Kaiser Permanente: Breathing Techniques for Childbirth | Kaiser Permanente

Stress management

My specialty is how to use the breath for relaxation and stress management. Guided breathing meditations are an easy way to relax – just listen! Learn about guided breathwork and imagery in this blog: Guided Meditation: Gentle Relaxation | TLC, The Lyman Center for Caregivers