Pursed-lip breathing (PLB) is a breathing technique commonly used by people with COPD or Asthma to help control their breathing. It involves breathing in slowly through the nose and breathing out gently through partially closed, pursed lips.
The technique can be practised regularly or used when breathing feels more difficult. The aim is to make exhalation slower and more controlled without forcing the breath.
How Does Pursed-Lip Breathing Help?
Pursed-lip breathing may help reduce breathlessness and support a more controlled breathing pattern. Research in people with COPD or Asthma has also found improvements in measures of lung function and exercise capacity when PLB was combined with diaphragmatic breathing.
One possible benefit of PLB is its effect on how air moves out of the lungs. By slowing exhalation, it may help reduce air trapping and dynamic hyperinflation during activity. However, the effects can vary between individuals. Pursed-lip breathing can also be part of a broader approach to respiratory health. Learn more about
holistic respiratory health and lifestyle habits for COPD and asthma.
When Can Pursed-Lip Breathing Be Useful?
PLB can be useful when breathing becomes faster or more difficult, including during activities that increase breathing effort. It can also be incorporated into a regular breathing routine to become more familiar with the technique.
Learning the technique before experiencing significant breathlessness may make it easier to use when breathing becomes uncomfortable.
Pursed-Lip Breathing During Exercise
Physical activity can increase breathlessness in people with COPD or Asthma. Studies suggest that PLB may help some people tolerate exercise for longer by reducing dynamic hyperinflation and supporting a more efficient breathing pattern.
However, not everyone responds to PLB in the same way. Its usefulness during exercise may depend on individual breathing patterns and lung function.
How to Practise Pursed-Lip Breathing
Start by sitting in a comfortable position and relaxing your shoulders. Breathe in slowly through your nose, then gently breathe out through pursed lips, as if you were slowly blowing out a candle.
Try to keep the exhalation slow and controlled rather than forcing the air out. The technique should feel comfortable and should not cause dizziness or discomfort.
Build a Consistent Breathing Routine
The Breathment App helps you practise your breathing techniques consistently, track your progress, and build a routine that fits naturally into your daily life.
Other Breathing Techniques
Pursed-Lip Breathing is just one of several breathing techniques that can help support better breathing control:
- Diaphragmatic Breathing: focuses on using the diaphragm during breathing and is commonly used as a breathing exercise in Asthma or COPD.
- Active Cycle of Breathing Technique: combines breathing control, deeper breathing and huffing to help clear mucus and improve airway clearance.
- Papworth Method: combines controlled diaphragmatic breathing with relaxation techniques and aims to promote a more efficient breathing pattern.
- Buteyko Breathing Technique: focuses on nasal breathing, reduced breathing volume and controlled breathing patterns.
- Breathing Positions: certain body positions may help people with COPD or asthma feel more comfortable when experiencing breathlessness. Two commonly used positions are the Tripod Position and Coachman’s Position.
- The Tripod Position involves sitting and leaning slightly forward while supporting your hands on your knees or on a stable surface. This posture is often used during episodes of breathing difficulty and may help provide a more comfortable position for breathing.
- The Coachman’s Position involves sitting in a supported, slightly forward-leaning posture. By supporting the upper body, this position may help ease breathlessness and reduce the effort needed to breathe. You can also explore other gentle ways to support your breathing in our article on Gentle Exercise for the Airways
Despoina Chrisoulaki
