Why You Breathe Shallow After 30 (And What Our Dadi Knew Better)

Do you feel like you can't take big deep breaths anymore? After turning 30 many people notice they breathe differently than when they were young. Your chest feels tight and you get tired quickly. This happens because your body changes as you grow older. Your breathing muscles get weak and your lungs don't work as well but do not worry you can fix this problem. There are easy ways to make your breathing strong and deep again using simple tricks.


Our lungs become stiffer as we age like a balloon that's been used many times. The tiny air bags inside lose their bounce making it harder to breathe deeply. The muscles that help us breathe get weaker after 30 just like arm or leg muscles do. When these muscles are not strong we cannot pull in as much air. Sitting bent over all day makes our chest tight and squished. We take smaller breaths instead of big and full ones. When we feel worry our body breathe goes fast and shallow.

• Abdominal breathing uses your belly instead of your chest. Put one hand on your chest and one on your belly and breathe so only your belly hand moves up and down.
• Pranayama gives energy through simple nose breathing exercises. Try breathing in for 4 counts hold it for 4 then breathe out for 4. Do this five times each morning.
• Mindful breathing means just sit quietly and count each breath from 1 to 10. When your mind wanders start counting again from one.
• Our grandmothers took three deep breaths before eating to help digest food better. They also breathed slowly through their nose when walking outside to stay healthy and peaceful.

• Diaphragmatic breathing uses your belly muscle to help you breathe better to do this lie down flat and put something on your stomach. Breathe in slowly and make the book go up and down.
• Pursed lip breathing helps us relax by making our lips like a small circle. Breathe in through your nose for 2 seconds then breathe out through your round lips for 4 seconds.
• The 4-7-8 breathing method gives more oxygen by counting while we breathe in that Breathe in for 4 counts hold it for 7 counts and then breathe out slowly for 8 counts.

Warning signs to watch for include blue lips, feeling dizzy or not being able to breathe well even when sitting still. If walking makes you very tired or breathless this needs attention.
Common medical conditions linked to shallow breathing include asthma that makes your chest tight, heart problems that make pumping blood hard, lung infections that fill lungs with fluid and sleep problems that stop breathing.
How to track and monitor your breathing means counting breaths for one minute while sitting quietly. Normal people breathe twenty times per minute. Notice if breathing gets harder when lying down.
When to consult a healthcare professional is if you have chest pain with breathing problems your feet get swollen you have fever or you cannot lie flat because of breathing trouble.

Making your breathing better is very easy and costs no money. You do not need to buy anything special for these breathing games. Just choose one simple breathing way from this book and do it every day for a little bit of time. It will take some time to get stronger but do not give up. Your body knows how to breathe well these are exercises just help you remember how to do it right again.

1. Does posture affect breathing depth?Poor posture restricts lungs, causing shallow breathing.
2. Which foods support lung health naturally?Antioxidants and omega-3 rich foods improve lung function.
3. Is shallow breathing reversible?Yes, with exercises and lifestyle changes, it improves.