15 ways to take a deeper breath
At rest, a healthy adult takes between 8 and 16 breaths per minute. Most of the time, you’re hardly aware of your breathing. It’s a largely unconscious reflex controlled by the nervous system, much like blinking or the beating of the heart. But you notice immediately when breathing becomes even the slightest bit difficult, or when something interferes with that rhythmic and usually effortless intake and release of air. Serious breathing problems, including those associated with asthma, severe allergic reactions, injuries, or something caught in the airways, always require immediate medical attention. But minor breathing difficulties such as the annoying stuffy nose that often accompanies a cold usually can be relieved by taking simple steps at home.
When tissues and blood vessels lining the nasal passages become inflamed and swollen, it’s difficult—and sometimes nearly impossible—to breathe through your nose. Doctors call this stuffy, plugged-up condition “nasal congestion.” Colds and flu can bring it on. So can common allergens such as pet dander, pollen, and mold, as well as airborne irritants like dust and smoke. Most acute cases of nasal congestion eventually clear up on their own, but try the following tips and techniques to make breathing a little easier.
Try a Nasal Wash Nasal lavage is a time-honored technique for flushing out nasal passages with a saltwater solution. A nasal wash helps rinse away mucus, germs, and allergens that contribute to congestion. Make the wash by stirring ½ teaspoon noniodized salt into 1 cup warm water (use distilled water only) until completely dissolved. Alternatively, use a store-bought nasal saline solution. Two of the most common tools for getting the salt water into your nose are a small bulb syringe and a neti pot. If using a syringe, draw up some of the solution into the bulb. While leaning over a sink, place the tip of the syringe in one nostril and gently squeeze the bulb, causing the solution to fill the nostril, run through the sinuses, and flow out the other nostril. Blow your nose gently to get all the water out. Then flush the other nostril in the same way. If using a neti pot, tip your head forward and slightly sideways and then pour the solution into the uppermost nostril; repeat on the other side. Thoroughly clean and air-dry the bulb syringe or neti pot after each use. Discard any unused salt solution.
Use Steam Therapy Inhaling steam is an old-fashioned remedy for helping to clear congestion. Carefully pour 4 cups of just-boiled water into a large, heatproof bowl. Place a towel over your head and shoulders and lean over the bowl, keeping your face at least 12 inches above the water’s surface. If the temperature feels comfortable, inhale deeply. Continue inhaling the steam for about 10 minutes. To boost the congestion-clearing power of the steam, add a drop or two of eucalyptus essential oil to the hot water in the bowl before you begin.
Go Warm and Cold Place a warm, wet washcloth across the bridge of your nose. Hold it against your face for about a minute. Then switch to a cold, wet washcloth and hold for about the same length of time. Repeat several times.
Have a Cup of Herbal Tea A steamy cup of an aromatic herbal tea, such as peppermint or ginger, can help clear a stuffy nose. To brew peppermint tea, place a heaping teaspoon of dried peppermint in a cup, fill with just-boiled water, cover, and steep 10 minutes. Strain and add honey or maple syrup to sweeten, if desired. To brew ginger tea, steep 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root in a cup of just-boiled water for 10 minutes. Sweeten as needed, or add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Snoring is the rough, rattling, sometimes thunderous sound that occurs when a person’s breathing is partially obstructed while sleeping. This can happen when muscles in the roof of the mouth, tongue, and throat relax. As air flows past, these relaxed tissues vibrate, which creates the irritating noises. Habitual snoring, especially if marked by episodes of breath holding, can be a sign of a serious condition. Infrequent light snoring, such as that caused by temporary nasal congestion, is less serious. The following remedies may help.
Raise Your Head Try a different pillow, one that lifts your head while keeping your neck relatively straight. This may alleviate minor blocking of your airways caused by sagging muscles in your mouth and throat.
Try Your Side When you sleep on your back, your tongue and soft palate (the soft area on the roof of your mouth) may move down as they relax, contacting the back of your throat. Sleeping on your side helps prevent this. If you’ve been a back sleeper most of your life, however, changing position isn’t easy. Try the tennis ball trick: Sew a pouch on the back of a T-shirt or pajama top and tuck a tennis ball inside. Whenever you start to roll onto your back, the bulge of the tennis ball may encourage you to stay on your side.
Tape Your Nose Those nasal strips football players wear do actually help to spread the nostrils and increase airflow through the nose. Available at most drugstores, they are worth a try.
Control Allergens If you have allergies that are causing congestion, they can make snoring much worse. Wash your sheets frequently in hot water, and zip up your pillow in an allergen-blocking case. Vacuum and dust your bedroom at least once a week. And keep your pets off the bed.
The annoying and often embarrassing hics of hiccups are caused by involuntary contractions of the diaphragm, the large sheet of muscles underlying your lungs. The contractions lead to abrupt, uncontrollable intakes of air. Spicy foods, overeating, swallowing air, drinking carbonated beverages or too much alcohol, sudden excitement, and emotional stress can bring on a case of hiccups. Hiccups usually resolve within a few minutes or hours. But these time-tested remedies may bring them under control sooner.
Hold Your Breath Take a deep breath and hold it as long as you can. Swallow when you feel a hic coming. Alternatively, take a deep breath and hold it for ten seconds. Without exhaling, take another breath and hold for five seconds more. Then, still without exhaling, take a third small breath and hold for an additional five seconds. Holding your breath causes a buildup of carbon dioxide in your lungs, which can help restore normal breathing.
Gargle Try gargling with water. This essentially forces you to hold your breath.
Increase the Carbon Dioxide Cup your hands around your nose and mouth and keep rebreathing your exhaled breath. You can get the same effect by breathing into a paper bag. Both these remedies lead to a buildup of carbon dioxide in your lungs.
Sip or Suck Take quick sips from a glass of water, or suck on a slice of lemon, a dill pickle, or an ice cube.
Try a Spoonful of Sugar Swallow a teaspoon of white sugar. The challenge of getting the dry crystals down your throat is distracting and can interrupt breathing and the hiccup response.
Compress the Chest Lean forward or lie down and pull your knees up to your chest. Compressing your chest in this way may help calm a diaphragm that is in spasm.
Do What Granny Says A number of simple cures for the hiccups have been passed down through the generations: Drink a glass of water from the opposite side of the glass. Pull on your earlobes. Have someone sneak up on you and yell “Boo!” to scare the hiccups out of you. Not a one of these can be proved to work—but they won’t hurt, either.