Oxygen is one of the essential life forces of our entire existence. Without it, we would cease to be. Proper breathing is essential to getting the right amount of oxygen in your body. We value it so much that we even give out awards for those who can breathe better than the rest. The Guinness Book of World Records awarded Vann Burchfield with the record for circular breathing in February 2000. He beat out Kenny G by holding one continuous note for 47 minutes and 6 seconds. Yet, many people often don’t understand the importance of breathing and breathing exercises. Exercises to improve breathing and lung expanders can be used for a variety of things from stress relief breathing to breathing for weight loss. Here are just a few of the ways that better breathing can benefit you.

Breathing exercises and lung expanders can provide many benefits, and require little effort or practice on your end. They can be used simply by themselves, or, if you prefer, in conjunction with the likes of meditation, yoga, or other stress relief techniques. They are simple, easy, and provide benefits for nearly everyone that engages in them. Breathing exercises also work quickly and can be done anywhere; they are free and can be used in any stressful situation to help you stay calm.

First and foremost, breathing exercises can help your respiratory system to work better. If you have asthma, your symptoms may be improved through the use of breathing exercises or lung expanders. Specific breathing techniques such as hyperventilation reduction can reduce the use of reliever medication over six to twelve months in adults with poorly controlled asthma. But if you have an asthma problem you will still want to stay away from cold air temperatures, pollution, and allergens like pollen as they can exacerbate the condition. And if you are truly concerned with the health of your respiratory system, it is always advisable to stay away from secondhand smoke, which is responsible for 3,000 deaths of nonsmokers every year.

Besides aiding your respiratory system, breathing exercises are especially useful for reducing physical stress and promoting relaxation. They can bring these wonderful benefits because they reverse your stress response. If your stress response is continuously triggered it can lead to chronic stress, but proper breathing exercises can completely reverse your normal stress response.

While breathing exercises can do a great deal to promote health and relieve stress, if you have some more chronic breathing related issues, you may want to consider using a lung expander. Lung expanders are small devices that fit in your mouth to improve lung capacity and breathing. Dr. Barbara Phillips, a sleep specialist at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and a board member of the National Sleep Foundation says that devices like this that pull the lower jaw forward can relieve snoring and mild to moderate cases of sleep apnea.