Deep Breathing
Breathing deeply will help you relax, and relaxing will help you stretch. Do not hold your breath, strain, or take shallow breaths while exercising. Shallow breaths overwork the upper chest muscles and upper parts of the lungs, leading to tension and fatigue. Full, deep breaths, allow the diaphragm to lower and the lungs to expand deeply. This helps you take in more oxygen with each breath.
Given potential concerns about voice, swallowing, and cough in people with PD, breathing training programs have been shown to improve various functions. Training of muscles involved in expiration and inspiration may improve swallowing safety, voice strength, and quality and cough strength. A speech therapist can assist you in building out a breathing program that might work best for you.
Additional Deep Breathing Exercises:
