Breathing Easy: Daily Habits for Healthy Lungs

You breathe around 20,000 times a day without thinking about it. A few habits keep that system working well:

• Avoid smoke of all kinds, and ventilate your home when cooking or using strong cleaners.
• Exercise regularly. Cardio strengthens the muscles you breathe with, making each breath more efficient.
• Practice good posture — slouching compresses the chest and limits lung expansion.
• Stay hydrated; it helps keep airways' mucus linings working properly.
• Wash your hands and avoid touching your face during cold and flu season — prevention beats treatment.

Deep breathing exercises, even for a few minutes a day, can also help you use your full lung capacity. Your lungs do the work quietly — a little care keeps them at it.