Lung Health for Runners: Breathing Tips That Help

Whether you're training for your first 5K or you've run a dozen marathons, how you breathe can affect how you feel on the road. Here's what every runner should know about their lungs.

Does running increase lung capacity?

This is one of the most common running myths. In healthy adults, exercise doesn't significantly change the size of your lungs. What it does improve is how efficiently your body uses oxygen — your heart pumps more effectively, your muscles extract oxygen better, and your breathing muscles get stronger. That's why running feels easier as you get fitter.

Breathing tips

• Breathe from your belly. Diaphragmatic breathing lets you take fuller breaths than shallow chest breathing.
• Try a rhythm. Some runners match breaths to footsteps, such as in for three steps and out for two.
• Use the talk test. On easy runs, you should be able to speak in short sentences.
• Relax your shoulders. Tension makes breathing less efficient.

Watch the air quality

When you run, you breathe in far more air than when you're resting — and you breathe through your mouth, which skips your nose's natural filtering. On high-pollution or wildfire smoke days, consider running indoors or in the early morning when air quality is often better.

Cold weather running

Cold, dry air can irritate the airways. A light scarf or buff over your mouth and nose warms the air before you breathe it in.

When to see a doctor

Coughing, wheezing or chest tightness during or after exercise can be a sign of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, which is common and treatable. See a doctor if these symptoms happen regularly.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. BreathiZen® is a dietary supplement and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please talk to your doctor before starting any supplement.