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Breathing exercises are an opportunity for people who are looking to “use the body’s miraculous ability to influence a lot of different organ systems by just controlling their breathing,”

Liang says. HOW SHOULD YOU APPROACH DOING BREATHING EXERCISES? Ni-Cheng Liang, M.D., Director of Pulmonary Integrative Medicine, Coastal Pulmonary Associates Courtesy of Ni-Cheng Liang As

noted above, the exercises should be done sitting down until you are more accustomed to your body’s reaction. Diaphragmatic breathing can be done sitting or lying down. You should also be

aware of your posture. In our technology- and screen-filled days, many of us have a propensity to lean forward and hunch, Liang says. This is not the best position for breathing exercises.

To optimize lung capacity and safety when doing the breathing exercises, Liang and Von Visger recommend: * Sit up straight so the head is positioned over your neck and your shoulders are

over your hips. * If you have arthritis or other conditions that may prevent you from sitting up fully, do the best you can to sit in a comfortable position. Diaphragmatic breathing can be

done lying down. * Avoid doing the exercises in the heat of the sun or other hot areas, Von Visger warns, as that could contribute to dizziness. * Deep breathing apps can help provide a

visual guide through cycled breath, particularly apps with which you can set timers, Von Visger says. Voice-guided breathing videos are helpful as well, Liang says.   HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU DO

BREATHING EXERCISES? The average person may be able to do five minutes a day of breathing strength exercises, whereas someone with COPD or asthma may be able to tolerate only three to five

breath cycles, Liang says. “For many of these breathing practices, I wouldn't recommend more than three to five breath cycles initially,” she says. Von Visger recommends starting small

with a variety of the breathing techniques every day and then increasing the practice to two or three times a day: “It’s like going to the gym to increase muscle mass. You don’t go for five

hours the first time, you go there for a short time and then increase the number of cycles and frequency.” Tania Von Gisger, R.N., assistant professor, State University of New York at

Buffalo School of Nursing Courtesy Tania Von Visger It can help to make an appointment with yourself to do the exercises, Von Visger says. “We make appointments with a lot of people, but do

you make an appointment with yourself? You have to check in with yourself, love yourself, and check in with your breath.” And if one of the exercises isn’t feeling right that day, it’s OK to

skip it and try something else. You can also incorporate a social element to the exercises by doing them with family and friends. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR A BREATHING EXERCISE TO LOWER

BLOOD PRESSURE? As you make the exercises part of your daily routine, you should start to see differences in your blood pressure, Liang says. Some studies have shown anywhere from up to six

to 12 weeks for consistent results, but Liang has even seen immediate results in her practice. A calmer mental state can oftentimes help with lowering blood pressure even within the same

doctor’s visit. WHICH BREATHING EXERCISE IS RIGHT FOR YOU? You can harness nature’s medicine by simply being curious about breathing exercises and figuring out which one feels most

comfortable for you, Liang says: “I would say the best breathing exercise for someone is the one that they’re actually going to remember to do.” “Isn’t it interesting, when we come into a

scenario of shock, we automatically take a deep breath. It’s about leveraging what we have.... And our breath is always with us.” Tania T. Von Visger, State University of New York at Buffalo

School of Nursing. If you find a breathing exercise uncomfortable or anxiety-provoking, it’s going to cause you stress and you’re not going to want to do it again, which defeats the whole

purpose of the practice, she says. You can work with your doctor or therapist to find the best breathing exercises for you. CAN BREATHING EXERCISES REPLACE BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATION?

“Breathing exercises do not replace medications for high blood pressure necessarily, but we hope that they can be used more like an adjunct to medication,” Liang says. “If their blood

pressure is mild enough and they do practice it for weeks and weeks and weeks, it’s possible that they might be able to go off of medications. [However], it is meant to be integrated with

your current medication regimen.” For those looking into complementary approaches to blood pressure management, an integrative health care professional, someone who explores the relationship

of the mind, body and spirit, can help, Liang says. These health care professionals focus on non-medicinal approaches to blood pressure control and reductions in stress like mindfulness.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health offers more information about complementary health practices. Your doctor may be able to provide a referral as well. HOW SAFE ARE

BREATHING EXERCISES FOR LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE? As noted above, breathing exercises could be uncomfortable for patients with COPD and other lung or breathing issues, or those who feel

anxiety around focusing on their breathing. You should consult your doctor if you have any concerns prior to starting a breathing exercise regimen, particularly if you have: * Uncontrolled

hypertension (meaning you currently have elevated blood pressure (see Ranges of Blood Pressure chart above) but are not taking medication to treat the condition or your treatments have not

been effective in lowering your blood pressure. Liang recommends consulting with your doctor about the appropriateness of breathing exercises before beginning.) * Recent abdominal surgery *

Osteoporosis * Rib fractures * Spontaneous pneumothorax (often called collapsed lung) * Perforated tympanic member (part of your ear that separates the outer ear from the middle and inner

parts) For many, though, deep breathing exercises can be a natural and convenient way to harness the power of your own breath to lower blood pressure and improve your overall health and

mental well-being. “Think about this practice as one that you can do anytime, anywhere, at your convenience,” Von Visger says. “You are in charge of your body; you have the choice.”