THE KEYS TO HEALTHY LUNGS FOR SENIORS (INCLUDES BREATHING EXERCISES)
Our lungs! An amazing and hard-working organ!
With each breath of air we take in, our lungs extract the oxygen we need to fuel our body. With each breath out, our lungs expel carbon dioxide, a waste product of the cells of our body doing their work.
Healthy lungs are essential for optimal functioning through all stages of life, but, just like all areas of the body, our lungs are not immune to changes as we get older.
However, when we get a better understanding of our lungs and our respiratory system and what can happen through the years, we can take charge of our health and do what’s necessary to improve the health of our lungs.
There are many things that you can be doing, right now, to improve your lung health.
So today, we are going to go through everything you need to do this.
In this article, we will look at how the lungs work, we will cover how our lungs change as we get older and look at a few lung conditions that are more common as a result of aging.
We will then go through what to do right now to improve your lung health (and your overall health). We will cover, in detail, exercising for better lung health (in general and with a lung condition). Finally, at the end of the article, we will go through some specific breathing exercises (with a video you can follow along to) to help improve your lung health and breathing.
CONTENTS:
NOTE: Try not to skip any parts of this article. Doing what’s important for your health does take more time and effort, but the results are ALWAYS WORTH THE EFFORT. So, take the time to read this article from start to finish, and, if you know anyone who would benefit from this article, make sure to send it on.
Now, let’s begin!
HOW YOUR LUNGS WORK
To understand what can happen to your lungs as you get older and what you can do to keep your lungs as healthy as possible, we will look now at the lungs and how they work in a bit of detail.
Our lungs serve two main functions. 1) To take oxygen in the air we breathe and circulate it around the body, which is vital for all cells, and 2) remove waste gases (carbon dioxide) from the body. This process is vital for life.
I’m sure you know we have two lungs: The right lung and the left lung.
When we take a breath in, the air moves down our trachea (windpipe) into the bronchi, which is the first branch of the trachea. The bronchi allow air to move both in and out of the right and left lungs.
THE LUNGS (RESPIRATORY SYSTEM)
The bronchi divide into increasingly smaller branches, known as the bronchioles. At the end of each bronchiole, there are clusters of microscopic, balloon-shaped air sacs, known as alveoli.
[For a better understanding see the diagram above of the respiratory system].
As we breathe, oxygen from the air is absorbed into the blood. The now oxygen-rich blood flows to the heart and is pumped to each cell, for fuel, throughout the body. As the cells of our body do their work, carbon dioxide, made by the cells, moves into the blood and returns to the heart.
The heart then pumps this carbon dioxide-rich blood to the lungs, passing into the alveoli, which then travels back out the trachea and is exhaled through the mouth or nose.
Our lungs expand with inhalation, as the alveoli fill with air and shrink with exhalation as carbon dioxide is expelled.
You’d most probably assume that the lungs contain muscles to aid in this expansion and contraction. This is not the case! Our lungs contain no muscles.
However, a strong, dome-shaped muscle is beneath the lungs known as the diaphragm. The diaphragm is the primary muscle that aids in the expansion and contraction of the lungs when we breathe, and separates our chest and abdominal cavities.
Additionally, other accessory respiratory muscles (of the abdomen and ribcage) aid the diaphragm in inspiration and expiration.
Our lungs are also supported and protected by our rib cage, which moves slightly to help our lungs expand and contract.
WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR LUNGS AS WE GET OLDER
Our lungs reach full maturation and function around the age of 20-25. [1]
After this, there is a slow, gradual decrease in the function of our lungs and respiratory system due to the normal changes of aging.
These changes occur to the lungs themselves, the muscles and bones which assist our breathing, and a decrease in immune system function over the years can also cause lung issues.
CHANGES TO THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM WITH AGING:
CHANGES TO THE LUNG
The alveoli (air sacs) become larger and lose elasticity (decreased elastic recoil during inhalation/exhalation). [2]
CHANGES TO THE MUSCLES (AND OTHER SOFT TISSUES)
The diaphragm weakens.
The accessory respiratory muscles weaken and may stiffen up.
Other soft tissues can also weaken and become stiffer causing increased stiffness of the chest wall.
CHANGES TO THE BONES
Bones become thinner and change shape. Due to this, the ribcage can’t expand and contract as efficiently during breathing.
CHANGE TO THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
Our immune system’s function decreases with age, leading to an increase in inflammation, making it more difficult for the body to fight lung infections. [3, 4]
These changes, combined with being frequently exposed to many environmental toxins over the years (i.e. respiratory infections, air pollution, occupational dust/chemicals, smoke etc.), can take their toll on our lungs. Our lungs become less efficient and more susceptible to inflammation and infection. [5]
Although this may all sound a little worrisome, the changes are mostly natural, are gradual over the years and also subtle. It will only be when exercising that you will notice a difference, such as a decrease in fitness (increased shortness of breath or muscle fatigue) when exercising.
The changes of the lungs described above CAN BE IMPROVED IN SOME WAY, NO MATTER YOUR CONDITION RIGHT NOW! Which we will get to in the upcoming sections.
[If you notice sudden changes with your breathing, however, this includes increased shortness of breath (even when resting), or you are having difficulty keeping up with people your age, or you have persistent respiratory symptoms (for example - a cough that won’t go away) - make sure to see your doctor].
Before we get into what you can do to improve your lung health, let’s now go through some lung conditions in seniors. As I know, some of you reading this may have these conditions.
COMMON LUNG CONDITIONS OVER 60
Lung conditions can occur and do become more common as the years go on. These conditions can make it difficult to function each day.
There are many conditions that can affect the lungs, too many for me to cover them all in this article, however, here are some more common lung conditions that can occur in seniors:
ASTHMA
Asthma is when the lungs’ airways become inflamed and narrowed to the point that breathing is difficult.
Asthma is characterised by difficulty breathing, a dry hacking cough, wheezing and a tight chest.
This narrowing of the airways in asthma is reversible and those with asthma can lead a normal, active life with a healthy lifestyle and proper treatment.
BRONCHITIS (ACUTE)
Acute bronchitis is an infection, that lasts less than three months, of the lining of the bronchial tubes.
Acute bronchitis is usually caused by a viral infection (cold or flu) or sometimes by a bacterial infection.
The most common symptom of bronchitis is a productive cough (brings up mucus). Coughing can become constant and turn into wheezing or difficulty breathing.
CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD)
An umbrella term for the lung diseases emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
EMPHYSEMA
In emphysema, the walls between many of the alveoli (air sacs) are damaged. As a result, the alveoli lose their elasticity and shape and become baggy.
This damage can also destroy the alveoli walls, leading to fewer and larger alveoli instead of many tiny ones, reducing the amount of airflow into the lungs and even more so the amount out.
Shortness of breath is the main sign of emphysema. At first, it may be only after exercise. Eventually, it can happen at rest.
CHRONIC BRONCHITIS
In chronic bronchitis, the lining of the airways stays constantly irritated, inflamed and swollen (longer than three months). This leads to thick mucus forming in the airways, making breathing difficult.
Most people who have COPD have both emphysema and chronic bronchitis. However, due to the difference in the severity of each condition from person to person, the general term COPD is used.
COPD Is progressive and is usually caused by smoking (or passive smoke) or exposure to other lung irritants such as air pollution, chemical fumes, or dusts.
PNEUMONIA
Pneumonia is an infection of one or both of the lungs. The infections are usually caused by bacteria or a virus. However, sometimes it can be caused by fungi.
The infection leads to inflammation of the alveoli and the alveoli filling with fluid and pus, making it difficult to breathe.
Symptoms include fever, chills, shortness of breath, a chronic, wet cough and chest pain when breathing or coughing.
Those who smoke or have other chronic disease are more susceptible to pneumonia.
These are some of the more common lung conditions. There are many effective treatments out there for these conditions and many treatments to ease the symptoms.
If you have been diagnosed with a progressive lung disease, there are always things you can do to improve your situation, with many programs and/or Professionals out there that can help. So do not lose hope!
In the next sections, we will cover what you can do to improve your lung health.
IMPROVING LUNG HEALTH OVER 60
Beyond getting active (which we will cover in later sections), there are some steps you can take to improve the health of your lungs throughout your life, these are:
DON’T SMOKE
We all know that smoking is terrible for our lungs. Smoking also compounds the effects of aging.
If you’re a smoker, although this is not easy to do after years of this habit - if you want to improve your lung health and prevent it from worsening - YOU MUST STOP SMOKING!
There are plenty of good programs and apps out there that can help you quit and many people have successfully quit using these programs. You can also speak to your doctor about quitting next time you visit who will be able to guide you.
AVOID TOXIC FUMES - STICK TO CLEAN AIR
Air pollution - both indoor and outdoor, secondhand smoke, chemicals and dust (both in the home and workplace) can cause damage to your lungs.
Avoid secondhand smoke, stay away from harsh chemicals and avoid breathing in damaging fumes (e.g., cleaning and gardening products). Wear a quality mask if these products are unavoidable.
Stick to clean air as much as you can. If you can make a move to a place with cleaner air, you will do great things for your lungs.
I know that it's not so easy to make a move to a place of cleaner air, so consider taking day trips out in nature or to places with cleaner air.
MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT & EAT HEALTHY
In obese and overweight people, there is a strong correlation between lung function and body fat distribution.
Obesity causes compression of the lungs, the diaphragm, and the chest cavity, leading to restrictive pulmonary damage. Additionally, excess fat decreases respiratory system compliance, increases pulmonary resistance and reduces respiratory muscle strength. [6]
On the other hand, being underweight has also been associated with decreased pulmonary function parameters due to low muscle mass and reduced strength and force of the diaphragm and accessory respiratory muscles. [7]
Do what you can to ensure you maintain a healthy weight.
GET MOVING - REGULAR EXERCISE
Regular exercise will strengthen your respiratory and skeletal muscles and improve your lung and other body systems' efficiency.
If you are new to exercise, it's just about getting started, staying consistent and progressing over time.
It is important you gradually build up the amount of exercise you do with any type of exercise, ensuring you don't overdo it.
Aim to spend more time moving and less time seated or lying - gradually building this up.
[We will cover exercise in more detail in the next section]
IMPROVE YOUR OVERALL HEALTH
Our body systems are working together, so it is crucial to improve your overall health. Think about other aspects of your health that you can improve and set out on improving them.
This includes:
Maintaining a healthy weight and getting moving (discussed above).
Minimising junk food and eating a healthy diet full of nutrient-dense foods, so you’re getting all your needed vitamins and minerals and energy. (For more on healthy eating, click HERE).
Decreasing stress and worry. Anxiety, worry, fear, and other strong negative emotions take their toll on health and make breathing more difficult. If you are constantly under stress, speak to your doctor about this. Also, set time aside each day for relaxation and letting go of stress. There are plenty of good apps that can help with this.
Adequate sleep - make this a priority. If breathing difficulties affect your sleep, speak to your doctor about this. (For more on this, click HERE).
Other steps for improved health include getting adequate sunlight, socialising and proper hydration.
GET REGULAR CHECK-UPS
Regular check-ups with your doctor are very important, even when feeling well.
Lung issues can sometimes get unnoticed until it gets serious.
Make sure you see your doctor every six months for a regular check-up.
HOW TO EXERCISE TO IMPROVE LUNG HEALTH
When exercising to improve your lung health, there are some guidelines to follow that will bring the most benefit.
However, try not to get too caught up in it all and wanting to get everything perfect. What’s most important is to just get moving more so, especially if new to exercise.
The more you move (without overdoing it), the better your lungs and respiratory muscles will function, and your fitness will improve. The less you move, the less efficient your lungs and respiratory muscles will be (decreased fitness). It’s as simple as that!
Remember, when you spend less time seated, and more time on your feet, your lung function and overall health will improve.
You ALWAYS want to work your way up to more activity over time, however. Start small and gradually build on this. Slow and steady to get to your goals.
When you do too much too soon, this is where problems (and injuries) can arise.
This section will go through how to exercise to ensure you’re improving your lung health safely and effectively. In the following section, I will cover the basics of exercising with a lung condition.
EXERCISE FOR HEALTHIER LUNGS
We’ve established that getting moving more is the key to healthier lungs. However, sooner or later - once you’ve got the hang of it, or you notice what you’re doing isn’t giving you the results that you want - you’re going to have to change things up to keep getting results.
There are some guidelines to follow to do this.
To determine how to exercise for improving lung health, we will make this easier by following the F.I.T.T Principle. (Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type).
HOW OFTEN SHOULD SENIORS EXERCISE TO IMPROVE LUNG HEALTH (FREQUENCY)
To exercise for better lung health, you want to be exercising at minimum, three times per week and optimally five times per week of exercise that gets that heart rate up and lungs working. Again, you would build up to more over time.
You’d also want to be doing strengthening exercises at least two days, preferably three days, per week.
Being active on most days, preferably all days in some way, is best. The more you’re moving the better.
It does not have to be a specific type of exercise. You can choose the exercise or activities you enjoy (we will get to this soon).
HOW HARD SHOULD SENIORS EXERCISE TO IMPROVE LUNG HEALTH (INTENSITY)
The intensity of exercise is how hard you exercise during each session. Or, how much you are exerting yourself.
To improve your fitness and lung function, a certain level of stress needs to be applied to the body and respiratory system.
A simple way to know the intensity of the exercise you are undertaking, you can use a Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale. [See below].
RPE SCALE - To download click above.
To use this scale to determine exertion during exercise, you simply ask yourself, “how hard does this exercise feel to me” based on the numbers and how difficult the exercise feels as per the scale.
If the exercise feels too easy (point 7-9), increase the intensity of the exercise to increase the number/points. If the exercise feels too difficult (point 16+), decrease the intensity of the exercise to bring the number down.
As you can see, this is a simple way to determine and track how much you are exerting yourself during exercise (or the intensity) without using technology and heart rates.
For optimal results to improve your lung health, you want to ensure you are exercising for a set time at moderate intensity. This would be an RPE of 13 (somewhat hard - slight breathlessness, can talk - 70%) to 15 (hard - increased sweating, able to push and still maintain proper form - 80%).
This may sound confusing, but once you’ve downloaded the table and had a look, it’s quite easy to work out.
You then would want to stay consistent at this level 3 to 5 times per week.
As you stay consistent with the exercise, you will find you are doing more exercise to stay in that 13-15 range.
TO DOWNLOAD and PRINT an RPE scale to use, you can do this HERE.
HOW LONG SHOULD SENIORS EXERCISE TO IMPROVE LUNG HEALTH (TIME)
We now know how much we should be exercising each week and at what intensity.
We now need to determine how long to exercise for each session, each day and each week.
When exercising to improve lung function, aim for 30-60 minutes per session. Or aim to achieve 150 - 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity each week.
You can break this up during the day into shorter sessions if you have difficulty with longer, continuous exercise.
As stated earlier, some exercise is better than nothing, and on some days, you will find it hard to get moving. That’s ok! Do your best! And always be nice to yourself. :)
WHAT TYPE OF EXERCISE SHOULD SENIORS DO TO IMPROVE LUNG HEALTH
Now, it’s about deciding on what type of exercise to do.
When it comes to the type of exercise - the world is your oyster! :)
There are so many different types of exercise you can do. Get creative.
You can choose between the many MORE LIFE HEALTH EXERCISE VIDEOS. (Click for videos). Or longer exercise routines HERE.
Make sure you’re also signed up to the More Life Health Mailing list to get a FREE 4-week exercise ebook that you can follow along with to help get you started. (CLICK to Join)
Another type of exercise is walking. Walking is an excellent type of exercise to help improve your fitness, and you can vary the difficulties and intensities. Make sure to check out my article on walking HERE.
You can also go hiking, swimming, to the gym, treadmill, cycling, rowing, taking an aerobics or swim aerobics class.
Maybe it’s gardening, playing golf, tennis or playing with the grandkids.
Whatever it is, there are plenty of ways to get moving and to make it enjoyable.
But remember - no matter the type of exercise — always build it up. And always speak to your doctor before undertaking exercise.
If you’re stuck or want to get ideas of what others are doing, join the More Life Health Support Community for help. You can do this by clicking HERE.
PROGRESS THE EXERCISE AS YOU IMPROVE, SO YOU CONTINUE TO IMPROVE
Once you have been exercising for some time and you’re well into the swing of things, your body will be improving.
You’re now consistently exercising - you’re working your skeletal muscles, working your respiratory muscles, working your heart muscles and your lungs and other body systems.
By doing this, your body and lungs are becoming more efficient, and you now have improved tolerance to the demands and stressors of daily life.
Eventually, the exercises will become too easy as your body adapts. To continue to improve your health and fitness, you must gradually increase the exercise.
You do this by increasing the distance, speed, weight, repetitions, or sets, so you continue to challenge yourself and continue to make improvements towards your goals.
IMPROVING LUNG HEALTH - EXERCISE SUMMARY:
FREQUENCY of exercise:
3-5x per week of exercise that increases the heart rate.
2-3x per week of strengthening exercise.INTENSITY of exercise:
Moderate intensity exercise - 13-15 Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE).TIME spent on exercise:
30-60 minutes per session (or per day if unable), or 150-300 Minutes per week.
Some exercise is better than no exercise.TYPE of exercise:
The world is your oyster - get creative.GRADUAL PROGRESSION of exercise:
Stay consistent. When you do this, the exercise will become easier. It's now time to progress the exercise gradually so you continue to improve.
EXERCISING WITH A LUNG CONDITION
When you have a lung condition, the thought of exercising can be intimidating and scary, especially when you haven’t done much exercise previously.
Breathlessness can also be scary, and fears can arise around this.
This fear causes many to avoid activities that may increase that breathlessness. With the avoidance of exercise and therefore less activity, your body will become weaker, and the body systems will become less efficient.
As time goes by, it then becomes even more challenging to exercise. The feelings of breathlessness increase as your body now requires more oxygen to work at less effort, and the cycle repeats. The less active you are, the more your symptoms will increase.
I have just described the cycle of inactivity and this can be common in those with a lung condition—[See diagram below].
Negative Cycle of INACTIVITY
This cycle of inactivity demonstrates why getting moving is so important when you have a lung condition.
When you exercise, your musculoskeletal, respiratory and cardiovascular systems are all being worked, which are vital to improving your lung health.
To overcome and avoid this cycle of inactivity and turn it all around, it starts with being aware and overcoming those fears of breathlessness.
Breathlessness during exercise, although uncomfortable, is normal and will help improve the condition of your body and your lungs.
The next step is to get active and remain active.
You do not have to do a lot of strenuous exercises. The key is just to get started and gradually build it up in the same way as we described in the last section.
You don’t overexert yourself, but you go at your own pace and stay consistent.
You don’t want to overexert yourself with exercise. Take it slow. You are in no rush and here for the long term. Doing too much too soon will have the opposite effect.
Once you begin and stick to it, this all gets much easier.
When you do this - you’ve beat the cycle of inactivity and the opposite happens!
As a result, you feel your body getting more conditioned. You feel stronger with less breathlessness (your body is now using less oxygen for the movement and is more efficient). The fitness of your lungs and heart are improved.
You will notice the activities you do, both during the exercise and in your daily life, which were once strenuous, are now getting much easier, and overall you feel much better.
You slowly and gradually build it up as you feel your body adapting to the exercise, and you're getting stronger and fitter. You see the importance of exercise and physical activity, which motivates you to continue. So you do!
A positive activity cycle is your new relationship with exercise, and it becomes the norm. [See diagram below].
Positive Cycle of ACTIVITY
Exercising with a lung condition does not have to be something done on your own.
If you are new to exercise and have a chronic lung condition, I recommend you see a Physiotherapist or join a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program in your area. Doing this is the best (and safest) way to learn how to exercise if you have a chronic lung condition. It will ease a lot of fears you have around your exercise also.
Additionally, your exercises will be prescribed to you based on YOUR current health status and the goals YOU want to achieve.
These programs can be one-on-one or group sessions and are run by Health Professionals in your area.
Your doctor will speak to you about joining a program like this. Or if they haven’t, bring this up to your doctor next time you speak. Or your can do a quick google search to see if there are any pulmonary rehabilitation programs in your area, and give them a call to find out more.
Getting up and moving more is the key to improving your condition when you have a lung condition.
Aim to spend less time sitting and more time exercising. We are not built to be sitting so much.
There are many ways to go about your exercise if certain ways aren’t working for you. There ARE ALWAYS ways that will work, it is just about finding these ways.
One way is you can break up the exercise during the day into shorter sessions if having difficulty with longer, continuous exercise. You don’t need to do 30-60 minutes at once, 5x per week. Especially to begin with. Break it down, start small and build it up, gradually over time.
Do your best to stay positive. You can and will make progress!
If you’re having trouble with your exercise, working with a professional can help put your worries at ease and help make everything much more manageable and help you get the most out of your exercise.
BREATHING EXERCISES FOR IMPROVING LUNG HEALTH
These exercises below are specific exercises designed to help improve your breathing, strengthen the muscles of your respiratory system and help you relax, which will also help improve your breathing.
You can do these exercises once or twice a day.
NOTE BEFORE: If you feel light-headed or dizzy when doing these exercises, stop the exercises. As with all exercise, make sure you see your doctor before undertaking these breathing exercises.
BREATHING EXERCISES FOR SENIORS
To begin, make sure you’re sitting upright in a chair, you’re comfortable, with your shoulders back and down and your body relaxed.
EXERCISE 1: RELAXATION
This exercise is to help you relax in general and before beginning the exercises. Breathing will be more difficult when more anxious, worried or stressed. Try these breathing exercises throughout the day to help you relax!
HOW TO
Begin in the relaxed position above, with good posture. Gently close your eyes.
Breathe in gently through your nose and then out gently through your nose.
If you can't breathe out through your nose, breathe out through your mouth instead -if you breathe out through your mouth, it's better to breathe out with puckered lips or using 'pursed-lip' breathing - to slow your breathing.
Keeping your body relaxed throughout - as you breathe out, let go of any tension in your body.
As you continue, gradually try to make each breath slower.
Continue until you feel relaxed and ready to move on.
EXERCISE 2: DEEP BREATHING WITH INSPIRATORY HOLD
Deep breathing exercises help get the air into all lung lobes and can help to loosen any mucus making breathing easier.
HOW TO
Sitting in the upright posture described above, with your shoulders back and down. Relax - relax your chest and shoulders.
Take a slow, long deep breath in through your nose.
Hold the air in your lungs for 2-3 seconds before breathing out (this is known as an inspiratory hold).
Breathe out slowly, gently and relaxed. Don't force the air out.
Repeat 3 – 5 times.
If you feel light-headed or dizzy, stop the exercises and take a break - focusing on relaxing your body.
EXERCISE 3: ABDOMINAL BREATHING
Abdominal breathing helps strengthen your diaphragm and other accessory respiratory muscles.
HOW TO
Sitting in the upright posture, with your shoulders back and down. Relax - relax your chest and shoulders.
Place one hand on your chest and the other hand on your belly.
Inhale, taking a long, slow deep breath through your nose and towards the hand on your belly, whilst your chest remains relatively still.
You should feel the air moving through your nose into your abdomen, lifting your hand on your belly up and expanding your sides at the waist.
Now exhale slowly with puckered lips (or the pursed-lip position) and feel the stomach contracting.
Repeat 3 – 5 times.
EXERCISE 4: QUICK SNIFFLES
This exercise can help strengthen your diaphragm and accessory respiratory muscles.
HOW TO
Sitting in the relaxed position described above, with your shoulders back and down. Relax - relax your chest and shoulders.
Close your mouth
Breathe in and out of your nose quickly.
Repeat for 15-30 seconds.
BREATHING EXERCISES FOR SENIORS (VIDEO)
Do you have a lung condition? Or trouble with your breathing? Have you made improvements with your breathing? Or do you have a story you want to share? What have you found to help with your breathing and improve your lung health? I’d love to know. Let me know in the comments below!
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