How To Test Your Lung Capacity At Home?
Want to know how you can test your lung capacity at home? We have the solution to your problem. In this article we will thoroughly discuss ways in which you can test your lung capacity. You don’t need any sort of professional help to execute this. Just follow the steps carefully and you are good to go. On that note, we should get started without any further delay!
What Is Lung Volume?
Do you think you are healthy and fit enough? You can now easily test your lung volume at home. Just notice how much air you can hold within your lungs. You can use simple objects found at home in order to get results.
[ Read: Exercises To Increase Lung Capacity ]
Why Are Lung Function Tests Usually Done?
Lung function tests are usually done due to the following reasons:
- You can measure how well your lungs are working, especially if you are suffering from diseases such as asthma.
- Looking for symptoms that could indicate a serious condition.
- You can also monitor the functioning of your lungs in order to check whether you are always exposed to harmful substances at your work place.
Lung Capacity Test Using A Balloon:
Go through the following steps carefully in order to know how to measure lung capacity at home!
- Take a round balloon and stretch it out several times. Breathe in like you normally do and exhale gently into the balloon. Make sure you aren’t forcing yourself while breathing.
- Once you have breathed in, measure the diameter of the balloon. Repeat this thrice so that you have 3 measurements. Note down the average measurement.
- Now you have to repeat the procedure all over again. However, this time you should inhale as much as you like and exhale forcefully. Again take three measurements of the diameter and record them.
- Convert the diameters into volume. Use the graph to record the table.
- According to several researches, the capacity of your lungs is proportional to the area of the surface or of the person’s body. If you want to know the surface area, you must know both your height and weight. There are several ways in which you can calculate the surface area of your body. Use a website that has an automatic calculator to get your result.
How Can You Measure Using Simple Objects at Home?
What You Need:
- Plastic tube
- Plastic bottle
- Water
- Kitchen sink
Instructions:
- Ensure the plastic tube you are using isn’t dirty.
- Add water to your kitchen sink up to a height of 10 cm. Block the duct of the sink so that the water doesn’t drain out.
- Fill the plastic bottle with water to the brim.
- Place your hand right over the top of the bottle so that the water doesn’t overflow.
- Now turn the bottle upside down. Take the top of the bottle and place it under the water inside the sink.
- Push one of the ends of the plastic tube inside the mouth of the bottle.
- Take a deep breath in.
- Breathe out through the tube.
- Now you can measure the volume of the air inside it.
- That will be your result.
Another Popular Method You Can Try:
- Take the gauge and set the pointer of the peak flow meter to zero.
- Now use a mouthpiece for the peak flow meter.
- Take a deep breath. Make sure you are sitting straight.
- Make sure you are not putting your tongue inside the mouth piece.
- Now breathe out as fast as you possibly can. You could also huff if you like.
- Now note your value on the gauge.
- Move the pointer back again to zero.
- Blow into the metre about two times more. You can record every time you blow.
- Once you have brown thrice, you can record the average, just like you have for the rest.
Are There Any Risks Involved?
There are no significant risks involved. Do remember that breathing in and out very quickly can make you feel a little dizzy and light headed. You could also end up coughing. In case any of this happens to you, please give up instantly.
Some Tips To Remember:
- You may use medicine that will expand your lungs about 4 hours before the test. This will definitely improve the results.
- If you make the mistake of using sedatives right before the test, it could worsen the results.
- The results of the test could often be misleading. People who experience pain while trying to breathe will not be able to breathe like normal people.
[ Read: Breathing Exercises For Clear And Healthy Lungs ]
Healthy Eating for Lung Patients:
A healthy and nutrition filled diet is a must for all lung patients. It will speed up your recovery and ensure quick healing. Here is a brief idea on what you should be eating after recovering from a lung operation or if you are already suffering from a lung condition.
- Eat foods that are full of protein, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins. However, you should pay particular attention to sodium. Make sure you don’t indulge into dishes that are high in sodium since it leads to high blood pressure and other heart related problems (1). A goal of 4000 grams a day is good enough.
- Most patients tend to lose out on appetite during a lung disease or after an operation. Certain kinds of medications include pills that make you feel nauseous. You can eat small amounts of food and take medications at the end of the meal to solve the problem (2). If you continue to face such a problem, make it a point to consult your physician.
- If you aren’t getting enough sleep at night, increase supplements of melatonin 2 and 6. Higher doses of this can help you recover faster. However, do keep in mind that melatonin interferes with medications that include birth control, sedatives, antidepressants etc (3).
- Add more omega 3 acids to your diet. This will control inflammation, boost immunity and improve plaque clearance (4). A few examples are flax seeds, walnuts and salmon.
Now that you know how to perform lung capacity test at home, what are you waiting for? Have you ever tried the techniques shown here? Do tell us your experiences and ideas in the comment box below. We would love to hear from you.
