Breathing techniques and exercises

Breathlessness Advice and Support

Breathlessness Advice and Support is for those who:

Experience breathlessness at rest and/or during activity
Live with/support someone who suffers from breathlessness

Introduction

Breathing problems are very common in people who have heart and lung conditions, cancer and neurological conditions. Breathlessness can be disabling and frightening.

Being breathless can affect your breathing pattern and the way you breathe.

This leaflet provides basic advice on how to manage breathlessness through certain techniques

Your Breathing Pattern

Firstly, it is important to recognise how you breathe:

1. Place one hand lightly on your upper chest and the other on your abdomen
2. Breathe in and out
3. Focus on the movement of your hands as you breathe
4. Note which hand is moving first

The hand on your upper chest should be moving minimally. If this was not the case being breathless can mean you breathe differently – using your upper chest and shoulder muscles to help you breathe rather than your diaphragm. This causes faster and shallow breathing which in turn uses lots of energy and can leave you feeling tired.

Breathing Control Technique

What is it?

• A technique used to help return to normal breathing
• An exercise to practice in everyday life when you feel breathless

What are the aims?

• To gain control on breathing
• To allow the correct respiratory muscles to work efficiently
• To decreased the overall effort of breathing

How is it done:

1. Relax your entire body
2. Place one hand lightly on your upper chest and the other on your abdomen
3. Breathe in and out through your nose
4. Focus on the movement of your hands as you breathe
5. Note which hand is moving first
6. As you take a breath in you should feel the hand on your abdomen rise as you inhale and fall as you exhale
7. The hand on your upper chest should be moving minimally

Ask a question