World Asthma Day 2025: Can Breathing Exercises Help In Asthma Management?
World Asthma Day is observed every year on the first Tuesday of May to raise awareness about asthma, improve care, and support those affected by the condition. It is organised by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), and each year focuses on a specific theme aimed at improving understanding and management of asthma globally. A key part of asthma management involves non-pharmacological strategies like breathing exercises, which can help patients control symptoms and improve quality of life. Breathing exercises help in asthma management by training the respiratory muscles, reducing hyperventilation, and promoting relaxed, efficient breathing.
Asthma often causes the airways to become inflamed and constricted, making it difficult to breathe. In response, many people develop rapid or shallow breathing patterns, which can worsen symptoms like breathlessness and anxiety. Breathing exercises help to slow down the breathing rate, increase lung capacity, and improve oxygen exchange. They also aid in loosening mucus trapped in the airways, reducing the frequency and severity of asthma attacks. Over time, consistent practice can enhance the individual’s sense of control over their breathing, reduce reliance on medication during mild episodes, and improve overall lung function. Read on as we share a list of breathing exercises you can perform to better management asthma.
Breathing exercises that help in asthma management
1. Pursed-lip breathing
This technique helps keep the airways open longer by creating slight resistance during exhalation. It reduces the rate of breathing and improves airflow in and out of the lungs.
- Inhale slowly through your nose for 2 seconds.
- Purse your lips (as if blowing out a candle).
- Exhale slowly and gently through pursed lips for 4 seconds.
- Repeat for several minutes.
2. Diaphragmatic breathing
It focuses on using the diaphragm to breathe instead of shallow chest breathing, which is common during asthma episodes.
- Sit or lie down comfortably.
- Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
- Inhale slowly through your nose, letting your belly rise (not the chest).
- Exhale slowly through pursed lips, feeling your belly fall.
- Practice for 5–10 minutes daily.
3. Buteyko breathing technique
Designed to reduce hyperventilation and normalise breathing patterns through shallow, nasal breathing.
- Sit upright in a calm environment.
- Breathe in gently through your nose and out slowly.
- After exhaling, pinch your nose and hold your breath until you feel the urge to breathe.
- Release and breathe gently again.
- Repeat a few times under supervision.
4. Yoga pranayama
This is a form of alternate nostril breathing used in yoga to balance energy flow and calm the mind.
- Sit in a meditative pose with a straight spine.
- Close the right nostril with your thumb and inhale through the left.
- Close the left nostril with your ring finger, open the right, and exhale.
- Inhale through the right nostril, close it, and exhale through the left.
- Continue for 5–10 minutes.
Practicing these exercises regularly, under the guidance of a respiratory therapist or trained professional, can significantly support asthma control alongside prescribed medical treatment.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
