Increase oxygen in your body by doing these exercises

Many people are unaware that they can increase their oxygen levels in the body by doing some exercise.

Oxygen helps in the movement of blood in the body from one cell to another. Without adequate oxygen, a person risks losing their life.

Here are some of the exercises you can increase oxygen in the body and hence help you fight off COVID-19.

Deep breathing exercise

This simple exercise can be done anywhere.

“Hold your breath as long as you can and then breathe out,” Prof. David Ssali a naturopathic doctor with Dama Medicinal Herbs in Kampala urges.

Dr Ssali says you can do this as many times as possible so that you can increase the movement of oxygen in the body. This can be done while standing straight or seated upright.

Belly breathing

Another exercise you can do is belly breathing: tightly pull your stomach inside, and then breathing in and relax as you exhale. This will increase the oxygen in the lungs as the diaphragm expands and contracts.

Nose breathing

Cover one nostril with your fingers as you breathe in deeply while you let the other exhale.  for better results, you can alternate the nostrils. You can do this as many times as you wish.

Lip breathing

Hold your lips firm and then breathe in deeply. As you exhale, relax your lips. This will help improve your oxygen in the lugs.

Cross-legged breathing

Get a levelled ground, sit straight and cross-legged while folding your arms to the chest in a prayerful way.  Breath in deeply and then out.  This type of exercise helps in stretching the lungs, calming the nerves and regulates your breathing rates.

Changing sleeping positions

Furthermore, Dr John Etolu, the In-charge of the COVID-19 unit in Soroti district reveals when you are sleeping, you should change positions.

Dr John Etolu advises you to change positions as you are sleeping. Photo by Maureen Nakatudde

“You can sleep on your sides and stomach,” he says.

As you do that make sure that you deep breathe. It is advisable you change the position every 30 minutes if you have difficulty in breathing.

In spite of that, pregnant women, those who are obese and have spinal cord problems are not allowed to have such exercises.  

So, in case you are shortage of oxygen, you can try these deep breathing exercises at home as you seek further help.