'Weight Lifting' For the Respiratory Muscles
Sep 20, 2022
Whether you are lifting weights or not, this resistance training might benefit you in more ways than you'd ever expected. Respiratory Muscle Training is training the inhalation and exhalation muscles needed to breathe well. Most people think that only people with COPD and other chronic illnesses or athletes benefit from RMT. Inspiratory and expiratory muscle training has many more health and performance benefits.
Causes of respiratory muscle weakness (not complete list):
- Sleep apnea or sleep disorders
- Spinal cord injury
- Gut dysfunctions
- Bladder and urinary tract weaknesses
- Chronic stress
- Abdominal or back surgeries
- ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
- COPD
- Multiple sclerosis
- Diseases such as Parkinson's
Training Devices:
A small, handheld device provides resistance against inhalation and exhalation. You inhale and exhale forcefully with the device in your mouth. The frequency of training, number of repetitions, and amount of resistance are adjusted as needed.
Devices that work well (I have no association):
Let me know if you have tried any other RMT devices that you love.
Benefits of RMT:
#1: Improve Sleep
RMT training can reduce sleep apnea and waking up during sleep. IMT (inspiratory muscle training) can modulate blood pressure and plasma catecholamines in people with sleep apnea. Catecholamines are hormones released into the blood when a person is under physical or emotional stress. The main catecholamines are dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. If these hormone levels are high, sleep is disrupted.
#2: Improve Anxiety and Relieves Stress
Training the respiratory muscles will activate Cranial Nerve X, the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is the biggest component of the parasympathetic system (rest and digest).
#3: Speech and Singing
Does your job require you to hold speeches or sing? RMT increases lung volume, muscle strength, and endurance which will bring your singing and speaker career to the next level.
#3: Improve Back Pain and Core Strength
The respiratory muscles play an essential role in core stability. Training these muscles can have a tremendous impact on your core strength and back pain.
