Belly breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing, is one of the first skills people ask about when they live with asthma or COPD. This guide explains how to do it, who it may help, and what the research does and does not show. It is one skill among several that a virtual pulmonary rehab program teaches, with a licensed clinician guiding you.
What is belly breathing?
Belly breathing means letting your belly, not your upper chest and shoulders, do more of the work as you breathe in. The American Family Physician article on breathing exercises describes it as encouraging people to use the abdominal wall when breathing to reduce chest wall motion (AAFP). The American Lung Association says belly breathing helps people living with asthma or COPD when they experience shortness of breath (American Lung Association).
How do you do belly breathing?
These steps follow the American Lung Association’s belly breathing video and the COPD Foundation’s breathing techniques page. Check with your healthcare provider before you start, and relax your shoulders first.
- Sit upright in a comfortable chair with your hands on your belly. If that is more comfortable, lie down instead.
- Close your mouth and take a slow, deep breath in through your nose. Let your belly fill with air and get bigger, like a balloon.
- Breathe out slowly and gently through pursed lips, as if you were blowing bubbles.
- Keep breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, focusing on the airflow.
- Continue for five to ten minutes, then relax.
Another way to check your form is to place one hand on your belly and one on your upper chest. Your belly hand should rise as you breathe in and fall as you breathe out (COPD Foundation). Source for the steps: American Lung Association.
How often should you practice?
The COPD Foundation suggests practicing two to three times a day for five to ten minutes. Start lying on your back, then move to sitting, standing, and finally during an activity. It also says to try it first when you are rested, sitting back, or lying down.
Is it harder than pursed-lip breathing?
Often, yes. The COPD Foundation notes that diaphragmatic breathing is not as easy as pursed-lip breathing and suggests learning it from a respiratory health professional or physical therapist. MedlinePlus describes pursed-lip breathing as breathing in through your nose for about 2 counts and out through pursed lips for 4 or more counts, and says not to hold your breath (MedlinePlus).
What does the research say about belly breathing?
The evidence is mixed, so it helps to keep expectations realistic. A Cochrane review of breathing exercises for COPD included 16 studies with 1233 participants. In a single study of 30 participants, diaphragmatic breathing was linked to a gain of about 35 metres in six-minute walk distance. However, the authors found no consistent effect on breathlessness or quality of life, and said patient-reported benefits may have been overestimated because most trials lacked blinding. They suggested breathing exercises may be useful for improving exercise tolerance in selected people with COPD who cannot do exercise training, and that the data do not suggest a widespread role for them in comprehensive COPD care (Cochrane review abstract).
An American Family Physician review reached a similar view. It described inconsistent changes in breathlessness and quality of life, and said breathing exercises may be useful as an adjunct treatment but cannot replace full pulmonary rehabilitation (AAFP).
Who might belly breathing help?
- People with asthma or COPD who want a calm technique to use when short of breath, per the American Lung Association.
- People who are learning to slow their breathing and want to practice when they are rested before using it during activity.
- People who may not yet have access to a full rehab program. It is a starting skill, not a replacement for rehab.
If belly breathing makes you feel more breathless or light-headed, stop and tell your care team. It does not work for everyone, and it is fine to use pursed-lip breathing instead.
Where does rehab fit in?
Belly breathing is easier to learn with feedback. In Bloom’s virtual pulmonary rehab program, every rehab session is one on one and live by video, so your clinician can watch your breathing pattern and adjust your plan to where you are today. Sessions are run by licensed respiratory therapists and clinical exercise physiologists, and they are billed to insurance. Education sessions about your condition may include other patients. To see what a session looks like, read what happens in a pulmonary rehab session. For related skills, see exercises for COPD, breathing exercises for asthma and how to improve lung capacity.
When to get urgent help
The American Lung Association says: “If you continue to be short of breath, call 911 and seek immediate medical attention.” For a fuller guide to breathless moments, read what to do when you feel short of breath.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Belly breathing, diaphragmatic breathing and abdominal breathing are different names for breathing in a way that lets your belly rise as you inhale.
The COPD Foundation suggests practicing two to three times a day for five to ten minutes, starting while you are lying on your back and then moving to sitting, standing and finally during an activity.
No. It does not treat the disease itself. The American Lung Association describes it as a way to help when you are short of breath, and a Cochrane review found no consistent effect of breathing exercises on breathlessness or quality of life.
For many people, yes. The COPD Foundation says diaphragmatic breathing is not as easy to do as pursed-lip breathing and recommends learning it from a respiratory health professional or physical therapist.
The American Lung Association says: if you continue to be short of breath, call 911 and seek immediate medical attention.
Yes. In Bloom’s program, every rehab session is one on one, live by video, and your plan is individualized. Education sessions about your condition may include other patients.
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This article is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk with your doctor about what is right for you.
Sources
- American Lung Association: Belly breathing video
- COPD Foundation: Breathing techniques
- Cochrane: Breathing exercises for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (abstract)
- American Family Physician: The role of breathing exercises in the treatment of COPD
- MedlinePlus: How to breathe when you are short of breath
