Strengthen

• Strengthen and increase lung capacity by performing breathing exercises. For example, sit comfortably, and then exhale all the air out of your chest. Do this forcefully by contracting stomach muscles and leaning forward as you exhale. Inhale through the nose as you resume an upright position, but only inflate the lungs halfway. Try to do this exercise several times a day to help energize the body and rid the lungs of stale or deoxygenated air.
  
  

Oxygenate

• Exercise the lungs to increase air flow and stretch the rib cage, allowing the lungs to expand to their fullest potential. Increasing oxygen intake will help with circulation and will induce a calming effect as well as provide great exercise for the thorasic area. You can sit or stand, slowly inhaling to capacity, then exhaling slowly, repeating several times. While you perform this type of breathing exercise, lift your arms high above your head or straight out to your sides, offering the lungs and ribcage additional expansion and exercise.
  
  

Relax

• Breathing exercises promote relaxation, which may benefit the breathing process, especially if you suffer from anxiety or respiratory conditions like asthma. For example, try taking three or four deep breaths through the nose, watching in a mirror as your chest expands. Slowly exhale through the nose, watching the chest fall. Watching the rise and fall of the chest while performing such a breathing exercise encourages relaxation that helps the individual to focus on the breathing process. The pain and anxiety of excess fluid in the lungs caused by a variety of medical conditions may be reduced by performing deep breathing exercises several times a day.