The Use Of Bubbles For Breathing Exercises |

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Children and adults alike may enjoy the recreation of blowing bubbles. Bubble wands and solutions are widely available and inexpensive. While blowing bubbles is entertaining for many people, it also provides health benefits. You more actively engage your lungs and respiratory muscles when blowing bubbles. This activity naturally stimulates breathing, which can benefit some conditions. This provides both physiological and psychological improvement.

Remove Stale Air

When you blow bubbles, your mouth, lips and respiratory muscles engage in a style of breathing called "pursed-lip breathing." This is characterized by a narrower mouth opening. It also resembles the type of breath you use to blow out candles. According to ConnectiCare, a health plan serving Connecticut and Massachusetts, pursed-lip breathing increases pressure on the airways, which in turn helps keep them open. A pursed-lip exhale more thoroughly exhausts the "stale" air in your lungs, leaving more room for fresh inhaled air. This results in better circulation in the respiratory system. When you blow bubbles, this respiratory action occurs naturally.

Dyspnea Treatment

Dyspnea is a respiratory condition characterized by difficulty in breathing. According to an October 1998 article in the journal for the American College of Chest Physicians, pursed-lip exercises can reduce symptoms of dyspnea. This is due to the added pressure on the airways. Sometimes, medical practitioners will use bubbles to demonstrate proper a pursed-lip breathing technique to patients of this condition. Blowing bubbles provides the visual example necessary for some patients to fully understand how to breathe in this manner. According to the journal, blowing bubbles is more easily understood than alternative examples, including blowing on candles.

Relaxation

Relaxation techniques often focus on breathing exercises. Slow and deep breathing can have a calming effect on the body. This process also encourages you to focus specifically on your breathing so you don't dwell on other potentially stressful thoughts. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia advocates the use of bubbles to relax children before a medical exam or procedure. If a child is unable to engage in slow deliberate breathing on her own, adding a bubble wand to the exercise may offer the stimulation she needs to participate. If necessary, turn the bubble blowing into a game to see who can make the largest bubble. This encourages the child to maximize her control over her breath and remain focused on just the bubble. This simple activity may lead to a less stressful health-care experience.

Exercises