Breathing is the first thing we do when we enter the world and the last thing we do when we leave it. Yet most of us go years without thinking about how well we breathe, how deeply we breathe, or how much stress we carry in every inhale and exhale.1
When breathing becomes shallow, rushed, or inefficient — whether from chronic stress, conditions such as lung cancer, environmental exposure, or lifestyle — the effects ripple through the entire body.1 Lung function declines, oxygen delivery becomes less efficient, the heart works harder, and the nervous system stays on high alert.1
The good news is that breathing is one of the few bodily systems we can influence ourselves. With simple, free breathing exercises, we can strengthen lung health and function, support heart health, and calm the stress response, often in just a few minutes a day.1
What Your Lungs Do When You Breathe
Your lungs are not just air sacs. They are active, dynamic organs responsible for delivering oxygen to your bloodstream and removing carbon dioxide, a waste product of metabolism.2 With every breath, oxygen travels from the lungs into the blood, where it fuels every cell in your body, including your brain, heart, and muscles.2
When you take deep, steady breaths, you’re helping your body run at its best: your blood pressure levels out, your heart rate slows down, and your nervous system finally gets the signal to relax.2 On the other hand, short and shallow breathing starves your cells of oxygen and lets waste products build up, which keeps your body in a constant state of “high alert” and stress.2
Over time, this pattern contributes to fatigue, anxiety, poor sleep, high blood pressure, and even worsening heart and lung conditions.2 Breathing, in other words, is not just about air, it’s the primary way you keep your entire system in balance.2
Health Conditions That Improve With Better Breathing
Improving breathing patterns doesn’t cure the condition, but it can meaningfully support multiple systems in the body.
- Heart Disease and Blood Pressure
For people with heart disease or high blood pressure, slow, controlled breathing has been shown to lower resting heart rate and reduce blood pressure by calming the nervous system and reducing vascular tension.3
- Chronic Stress and Anxiety
For those dealing with chronic stress or anxiety, breathing exercises directly influence the vagus nerve, helping shift the body out of constant alert mode.4 This can reduce panic symptoms, improve sleep, and increase emotional regulation.4
- Lung Conditions
People with lung conditions, including asthma or post-infection breathing difficulties, often experience improved lung expansion, reduced breathlessness, and better tolerance for physical activity with regular breathing practice.5
Even for individuals without a diagnosed condition, better breathing supports focus, energy, and resilience, especially in environments where stress and pollution are unavoidable.5
Four Free Breathing Exercises That Support Lung Health
(With simple prop tips and guided video options)
- Diaphragmatic (Belly) Breathing
Many adults breathe shallowly into the chest, especially when stressed. Diaphragmatic breathing retrains the body to use the diaphragm, the main muscle of breathing, more efficiently. To practice, sit or lie down comfortably.7
Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Inhale slowly through your nose, allowing your belly to rise while your chest remains relatively still. Exhale gently through your mouth, feeling the belly fall. This pattern improves oxygen exchange, reduces tension in the upper body, and lowers stress hormones over time.7
Pro tip:
If you’re just starting, lie on your back and place a small pillow, folded towel, or book on your belly. As you inhale, focus on gently lifting the object. This gives your body visual and tactile feedback and helps reinforce proper technique.
Optional guided video:
Diaphragmatic Breathing for Beginners
- Pursed-Lip Breathing
Pursed-lip breathing is especially helpful for people who feel short of breath during activity or when anxiety tightens the chest.7
Inhale slowly through your nose. Then exhale through pursed lips, as if you were gently blowing out a candle. The slow, controlled exhale keeps airways open longer and helps the lungs empty more fully, reducing the sensation of breathlessness.7
This technique is commonly taught in pulmonary rehabilitation and can be used while walking, climbing stairs, or during moments of stress when breathing feels rushed or shallow.7
Pro tip:
Try practicing near a mirror or with a candle placed safely in front of you. The goal is to make the flame flicker without blowing it out. This encourages a slow, steady exhale rather than forceful breathing.
Optional guided video:
Pursed-Lip Breathing
- Box Breathing
Box breathing is a structured breathing technique used to calm the nervous system and improve breath control, especially during stress or overwhelm.7
Inhale through your nose for a count of four. Hold for four. Exhale through your mouth for four. Hold again for four. The steady rhythm signals safety to the brain and helps regulate heart rate and blood pressure.7
This technique is particularly useful before bed, during high-stress workdays, or when stress-related symptoms mimic heart or lung issues.7
Pro tip:
Use a visual cue to stay grounded. You can trace the sides of a square on paper with your finger, use a breathing app timer, or picture a box in your mind as you move through each phase of the breath.
Optional guided video:
Box Breathing Tutorial
- Extended Exhale Breathing
When the body is under chronic stress, inhalation often dominates while exhalation shortens. Extended exhale breathing intentionally lengthens the out-breath, helping shift the body into a calmer, more restorative state.7
Inhale gently through your nose for a count of four, then exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of six to eight. The longer exhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows the heart and reduces physical tension.7
This technique is especially helpful for people who experience chest tightness, racing thoughts, or anxiety that feels physical rather than emotional.7
Pro tip:
Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly while practicing. If you notice your chest rising more than your belly, slow the inhale and soften the breath. You can also practice while seated with your feet flat on the floor to increase a sense of grounding.
Optional guided video:
Extended Exhale Breathing
How Often to Practice and What to Expect
Consistency matters more than duration. Practicing one or two of these techniques for five minutes a day can lead to noticeable improvements in breathing comfort, stress levels, and energy within a few weeks.
These exercises should never cause dizziness or discomfort. If they do, slow down or stop and consult a healthcare professional, especially if you have underlying heart or lung conditions.
A Call to Action For The NOWINCLUDED Community
Breathing is free, portable, and powerful, but only if we use it intentionally.
In the NOWINCLUDED app, share which breathing exercise you plan to try this week and how it fits into your daily routine.
Small, consistent practices can build stronger lungs, calmer hearts, and greater resilience — one breath at a time.
References
- Merschel, M. (2023, July 7). It’s not just inspiration – careful breathing can help your health. Retrieved from American Heart Association: https://www.heart.org/en/news/2023/07/07/its-not-just-inspiration-careful-breathing-can-help-your-health
- ALA. (2025, July 24). How Lungs Work. Retrieved from American Lung Association: https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/how-lungs-work
- Garg, P., Mendiratta, A., Banga, A., Bucharles, A., & Victoria, P. (2023). Effect of breathing exercises on blood pressure and heart rate: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Risk and Prevention. doi:10.1016/j.ijcrp.2023.200232
- Bentley, T. G., D’Andrea-Penna, G., Rakic, M., Arce, N., & LaFaille, M. (2023). Breathing Practices for Stress and Anxiety Reduction: Conceptual Framework of Implementation Guidelines Based on a Systematic Review of the Published Literature. Brain Sciences. doi:10.3390/brainsci13121612
- Sheff. (2016). Your lungs and exercise. Breathe. doi:10.1183/20734735.ELF121
- Xiao, Y., Zou, X., Tribby, C. P., Vien, P., Chang, C., & Curley, R. J. (2025). Residential Segregation and Lung Cancer Risk in African American Adults. JAMA Network Open. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.18481
- ALA. (2025, December 16). Breathing Exercises. Retrieved from American Lung Association: https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/wellness/breathing-exercises
