Breathing Exercises that Promote Cardiovascular & Brain Health

Breathing Exercises that Boost Heart & Brain Health

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Breathing is a natural way for seniors to boost their mood and heal their bodies. Your aging loved one can do many breathing exercises without exerting a lot of energy. Here are some of the best breathing exercises that boost heart and brain health.

Standing Breathing Exercise

While standing, your loved one will need to place both hands on his or her belly. When inhaling deeply, your loved one should feel his or her abdomen expand. This technique is known as lower lobe deep breathing. This breathing exercise can lower the heart rate and increase blood oxygen levels, which can prevent blockages and blood clotting. Taking deep breaths also calms the brain.

Some seniors require assistance with breathing exercises or other activities. If your senior loved one needs hourly or live-in care, Danville Assisting Hands Home Care can help. Our caregivers can assist with exercise and mobility, prepare nutritious meals, provide timely medication reminders, and help with a wide array of other important daily tasks.

Tai Chi

To complete this breathing exercise, your loved one will need to take three short breaths. While taking the first breath, your loved one needs to raise his or her arms. For the second breath, your loved one has to pull his or her arms out to shoulder height on both sides. For the final breath, your loved one needs to raise the arms above the head. Next, your loved one needs to exhale slowly while lowering the arms back down to the side. 

Tai chi can lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of strokes, heart attacks, and diabetes. It’s a good breathing exercise for seniors with heart issues because it’s slow-paced and easily maintained. Learning the precise movements of tai chi can stimulate the brain and keep it active.

Seated Breathing Exercise

While sitting in a chair, your loved one will need to place one hand on his or her chest and the other hand on his or her stomach and inhale in a way that raises the hand on the chest. This allows your loved one to exercise the upper lobes of the lungs. Doing seated breathing exercises can increase metabolism and lower stress and anxiety levels, which reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular issues. This breathing exercise can bring your loved one’s mind more clarity and insight.

If your loved one needs help and supervision to perform breathing exercises but you’re not available to provide assistance, consider hiring a professional caregiver. One of the most challenging tasks of helping an elderly relative age in place safely and comfortably is researching agencies that provide in-home care. Turn to Assisting Hands Home Care for reliable, high-quality in-home care for aging adults. We offer 24-hour care for seniors who require extensive assistance, and we also offer respite care for family caregivers who need a break from their caregiving duties.

Yoga

One of the major benefits of yoga is that it strengthens the lungs and the heart. The more oxygen the heart receives, the less work it needs to do. The breathing techniques and movements of yoga can reduce the heart’s workload because there’s more oxygen and blood flowing. The long, deep breaths your loved one takes when doing yoga can rid the brain of harmful toxins. As a result, your loved one’s brain can function normally and his or her risk of developing mental illnesses is reduced. 

The deep breathing involved with yoga and other exercises can help seniors keep several health conditions at bay. Seniors who want to remain healthy as they age can benefit in a variety of ways when they receive professional home care. Danville Assisting Hands Home Care is here to help your loved one accomplish daily tasks, prevent illness, and focus on living a healthier and more fulfilling life. To hire a professionally trained caregiver for your loved one, call us today.