Become a Patient

Breathing Retraining

Why should I relearn how to breathe?

Learning new breathing techniques will help you move more air in and out of your lungs. This helps decrease shortness of breath. Breathing techniques to control breathing include:

  • Diaphragmatic Breathing – Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose. While breathing in, push your stomach out. Place your hand on your stomach so you can feel your stomach going out. This promotes the use of the diaphragm and the lower respiratory muscles. Breathe out slowly and deeply through your mouth. While breathing out, let your stomach relax. You can feel your stomach going in with your hand. Count 1,2, 3, 4 while you slowly breathe out all the way.
  • Pursed Lip Breathing - Use the same diaphragmatic breathing technique, but when you breathe out, purse your lips slightly as if to whistle. Breath out slowly through pursed lips. Do not force the air out. Breathing out through pursed lips helps the airways remain open and decreases shortness of breath.

Practice these breathing techniques daily so they become routine. When you have shortness of breath, use the breathing techniques.

Note: This information is provided to you as an educational service of National Jewish Health. It is not meant to be a substitute for consulting with your own physician.

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