Top 5 Breathing Exercise Yoga for Seniors and Old Peoples? Best 5 Pranayama Yoga for Unhealthy Lungs

If you have breathing problems already then you must be alert in any situation whether pandemic or any virus attack in the body.

The main problem that lies many times with us is unknowingly we get affected by a virus. Now is starting of the corona is spreading in an unknown form of strain. Before any such virus attacks, you start practicing Yoga and breathing exercises as early as possible. Pranayama yoga is especially great for improving immunity for patients with unhealthy lungs.

Table of Contents

Various Causes of breathing problem for Seniors and Old Peoples

It can be caused by pollen, mites, etc.
Some people have food-related allergies and environmental irritations like dust and smoke.
In some cases, stress can act as a reason also.
For different individuals, it may vary differently for different people.
In India itself out of a total population, at least 10% contribute to breathing problems. It a matter of serious concern. It can upset individuals of any age group.

Few Factors on Breathing Problems for Seniors and Old Peoples

Some of the factors that add to breathing problem are:

Genetic: It is seen that most of the family members are affected with breathing problems then you might get the same problem of breathing.
There can be overweight or underweight problem
If you are unprotected from regular issues like pollen.
There is no cure for breathing problems and the treatments can reduce the problem to a certain extent.

How Yoga Helps in Breathing Exercise for Seniors and Old Peoples

Starting from an early age of 40, breathing becomes less effective in aged peoples. The air sacs inside the lungs used to trap carbon dioxide gradually for them.

With large no of cases for lungs disease around the world, breathing problem remains a common yet big problem for old people’s lifestyle. They used to feel that exhalation more difficult than inhalation. This means that majority of them receive less oxygen into their bloodstream.

Common breathing Illnesses in Seniors and Old Peoples

Breathing problems short or long term is a disease of the respiratory system. It affects the lungs and

the path that carries air inside lungs. A person suffering from a breathing problem has difficulty due to the shrinking of these airways.

Some of the Common breathing Illnesses in Seniors

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) – ARDS is a severe condition where an old person feels sick or has recently experienced a trauma.
Aging Lungs – Due to age factor most of the aged person has shortness of breathing.
Asthma – It gives a continuous itching sensation or problem while breathing
Chronic Bronchitis –
Emphysema.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF).
Pleural Mesothelioma.

What Is The Best Practice For Breathing?

The most competent way to breathe is to inhale the air toward the belly. As our diaphragm contracts, the belly expands to fill the lungs with air. Bhastrika, as well as Kapalbhati pranayama, are those forms of exercise which we call as “Belly breathing”.

These are efficient because it pulls the lungs plunging with a force, producing negative pressure inside the chest.

Few Statistics on COPD

COPD is referred to as Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that origins congested airflow from the lungs. Symptoms are breathing trouble, cough, mucus (sputum) production, and gasping.

In a certain period, contact with irritants that damage your lungs and airways can cause COPD, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The main cause of COPD is smoke and its related irritants, but nonsmokers can get COPD too. Let us look few stats also.

How Many Times Pranayama Can Be Done In a Day?

For beginners, it is suggested to do pranayama for 5 minutes with 3 times repetitions. Initially, you must do it at least 60 times, throughout the day. These techniques are exceptional for therapeutic, chakra balancing, and getting rid of bad energy within the system.

Our energy channels get a new dimension of liveliness and an amazing refreshing feeling will endure with the body for the whole day. It is also great for improving stamina in breathing or respiratory problems.

Here are some breathing yoga exercises that will help breathing problem persons get relief from their problems:

Belly Breathing

It is the basic technique while you place a deep breathing with both nostrils and exhale through them. This is one cycle. Continue for up to 5 minutes. It is a simple procedure that lets you feel a bit different.

As the oxygen content in the cell will increase and let you feel very light and brings a tingling sensation in the mind. Always complete the practice by finishing with an exhale.

Steps of Belly Breathing Pranayama (Deep Breath)

Sit or lie flat in a comfortable position, relax
Put one hand on your belly just below your ribs and the other hand on your chest.
Take a deep breath in through both nostrils, and let your belly push your hand out.
Breathe out through with a bit of force as if you are jerking your belly.
Do this breathing a minimum of 10 times.

Benefits of Belly Breathing Pranayama

Improve diabetic and asthma symptoms by regulating stress and fatigue in the system.
Reduce stress levels in your body by lower your heart rate and blood pressure.
Sudden anxiety attacks can be prevented if properly done.

Bhastrika Pranayama

This breathing is a type of breathing exercise well as it is a type of pranayama. It is known as a breath of fire. In this asana, both Inhalation and exhalation are forced. Bhastrika contains exhaling and inhaling in a certain amount of no. By this, the lungs are provided complete oxygen as well as to body cells.

How to Perform Bhastrika:

First Sit in Vajrasana. Take a long breath. Inhale and Exhale.
Put your hands in front up at the chest level.
Start inhaling slowly and lift your hands up and with a full inhale fill your chest with air.
Now with a certain force exhale and bring the hands below in the previous position.

Benefits of Bhastrika Pranayama

Bhastrika has so many unknown benefits.

It contributes strongly to the lungs.
It helps in allergies in breathing problems.
It prevents respiratory diseases like chronic cough sensation, whooping cough, etc.
It recovers the immune system in our body and protects us from the common cold.

How Many Times Bhastrika Should Be Performed?

To begin with, exercise at least 21 times continuously which is considered a moderate no as in Bhastrika one round of inhalation and exhalation will count as one time. In between take breaks and continue doing it for at least five minutes. Gradually increase the count and the duration as your body permits.

Anulom Vilom Pranayama

This type of pranayama is also called Shakti-Vardhak Pranayama. Some of the remarkable changes it brings as sleeping disorders skin problems can be greatly prevented by this pranayama. The quality of sleep will improve and the body will have a refreshing feeling while waking up.

How to Perform Anulom Vilom Pranayama

Sit in a meditative posture keep the spine straight and the head erects with eyes closed. Relax
Keep the left palm on the left knee in Gyan mudra. The right hand should be in the Nasaikagra mudra.
Place the right thumb on the right nostril. Breathe in from the left nostril.
Close the left nostril .exhale through the right nostril.
Next, inhale through the right nostril .close the right nostril .and exhale through the left nostril.
This is one round of Nadi Shodhan or anulom-vilom pranayama. Repeat for another five rounds. For beginners, the duration of inhalation and exhalation should be equal.
Gradually make it one is to two inhalation exhalation. The breath should be slow steady and controlled.

Benefits of Anulom –Vilom Pranayama

The main purpose of this pranayama is to purify the principal channels of energy.
This nourishes the whole body. It induces tranquility.
It helps to improve concentration. It increases vitality and lowers the level of stress and anxiety.
It also elevates skin and cough disorders.

Nadi-Suddhi Pranayama

Nadis are the subtle energy channels in our body. The energy channels are disrupted many times by our unhealthy lifestyle, stress, and physical trauma. Shodhan or Suddhi means cleaning and purifying them.

Ida and Pingala are two main nadis we have coiled with our spinal cord. By practicing Nadi-Suddhi pranayama we clean the bad energy or energy body in different channels are cleansed.

Nadi shodhan pranayama is also breathing through the left and right nostrils equally.

How to Perform Nadi-Suddhi Pranayama

Sit with a straight spine and the head erects with eyes closed. Relax
Keep the left palm on the left knee in the same like before in Gyan mudra. The right hand should be in the Nasaikagra mudra.
Place the right thumb on the right nostril. Breathe in from the left nostril.
Then exhale through the same nostril.
Next, close the left nostril and inhale through the right nostril. Now exhale through the right nostril itself.
This is one round of Nadi Shodhan pranayama. Repeat for a minimum of 10 rounds. For beginners, the duration of inhalation and exhalation should be equal.
Once again breathing should be slow steady and controlled.

Benefits of Nadi-Suddhi Pranayama

Useful to balance emotions and reduces stress and anxiety
Improves lung capacity while clear and balanced respiratory channels
Balances all systems of the body (digestive, nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular, etc.).
The nerves are calmed and purified, and alleviate respiratory allergies that cause hay fever, sneezing, or wheezing.
Fills the body with oxygen which in turn releases toxins.

Kapalbhati Pranayama

Kapal = forehead; Bhati = shining; pranayama = breathing technique

Once you start Kapalbhati Pranayama, it increases the circulation of blood flow in vital organs like the heart and lungs. Soon you will notice is the glowing skin.

How to Perform Kapalbhati Pranayama

Sit straight with your hands on your knees with your eyes closed and place your palms on your thighs facing the sky. Breathe in as you exhale and jerk your stomach in.
Draw your navel inwards towards the spine. Do as much as you comfortably can.
The exhalation is active. So throw out your breath. Don’t worry about the inhalation.

Benefits of Kapalbhati Pranayama

Kapalbhati is quite effective for breathing issues. Kapalbhati brings balance to the whole system and energizes the body to a great extent.
Kapalbhati energizes the nervous system. It enhances our nadis (subtle energy channels) also improves blood circulation and adds radiance to the face.

Precautions to take while performing Kapalbhati

Kapalbhati Pranayama should not be practiced if you have a pacemaker, epilepsy, hernia, slip disc, or have any recent back or abdominal surgery. Women are restricted to Kapalbhati Pranayama during pregnancy as well as during menstruation.

Bhramari pranayama

In Bhramari Pranayama the exhalation sound very much resembles the humming sound of a bee, by this, it is named as Bhramari pranayama. In this respiration process, your lips are purported to be shut, and you’re purported to gently and swimmingly build a sound sort of a buzzing bee in your throat.

Steps of Bhramari Pranayama (Bee breath)

Sit on the Padmasana or any other sitting Asana.
Close your eyes and breathe deeply.
Now close your ears lids or flaps with your thumbs.
Place your index finger just above your eyebrows and the rest of your Fingers over your eyes with your middle fingers.·
Now concentrate your mind on the area between your eyebrows.
Keep your mouth closed; breath out slowly through your nose with making a humming sound of Om.·
Repeat this process 5 times. The important thing is that while doing this Pranayama assumes that you are being connected to all the positive energies of the universe.

Benefits of Bhramari Pranayama

This is the best method to achieve the concentration of mind.
It opens the blockage and gives a feeling of happiness to the mind and brain.
Beneficial in relieving from hypertension.
It relaxes the mind and lowers stress.

Foods for People with Unhealthy Lungs

A person suffering from a breathing problem must switch from animal food (non-veg) to plant food (veg).
Make a habit of eating ginger and turmeric regularly.
The patient should also stop smoking, alcohol, cheese, processed foods that are full of additives.
Try to avoid cold fruits like banana and orange.
Focus on more organic food diet, because they create anti-oxidant in body which is good for lungs and heart.

Yoga and Meditation from ancient times had a preventive way for this problem. A person having breathing problem should do vapor breathe practice every day, with a spoon of cinnamon powder twice a day. This gives much relief in breathing.

Can Yoga Cure Shortness Breath?

Yoga can help increase breath and its related obstruction with the course of practicing it. With regular practice, it improves shortness of breath also. The overall activeness and body awareness improves, slow your respiratory rate, and encourage calm and relieve stress. All of which are beneficial for people who have asthma and bronchitis.

When Should You Not Do Pranayama?

Pranayama should not be practiced straightaway after meals. You can practice pranayama at least three hours after meals. You must understand a heavy meal will take much longer to get digested.

For example, if you do pranayama in the evening, eat a healthy lunch which gets digested by the time you start pranayama.

Conclusion

There’s nothing better than yoga to treat diseases painlessly or without any side effects. The people having breathing issues or got attacked still can practice these exercises. Also, you must focus on exercise and Yoga. Breathing problems in any person whether seniors or old peoples, it doesn’t mean a virus can take your life or you can’t live a normal life. you just need to be a little more cautious than the others.

Reference

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7211979/
https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/how-lungs-work/lung-capacity-and-aging
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-body/lungs/
https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/respiratory-diseases
http://www.healthdata.org/research-article/burden-chronic-respiratory-diseases-and-their-heterogeneity-across-states-india
https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/respiratory-diseases
https://www.lungindia.com/article.asp?issn=0970-2113;year=2016;volume=33;issue=6;spage=611;epage=619;aulast=Ghoshal
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