深呼吸对肺部有好处

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

这里是VOA慢速英语健康生活栏目。

When was the last time you thought about breathing?

你上次想到呼吸是什么时候？

Most people usually do not.

大多数人通常不会想到这个。

When we are healthy, breathing happens naturally and easily.

在我们身体健康时，呼吸自然且简单。

Without much effect on our part, the human respiratory system works hard.

人类的呼吸系统努力工作，对我们不会产生太大影响。

Experts say we take about 20,000 breaths every day.

专家表示，我们每天大约呼吸2万次。

One such expert is James Hoyt, a doctor at the University of Colorado's Health Pulmonology Clinic, also called UCHealth.

其中一位专家是詹姆斯·霍伊特，他是科罗拉多大学健康肺病诊所（UCHealth）的医生。

Hoyt is a pulmonologist -- a specialist on respiratory disorders.

霍伊特是肺科医生，就是呼吸系统疾病专家。

On the UCHealth website, he notes that

在科罗拉多大学健康肺病诊所的官网上他指出，

our "respiratory muscles are working every minute of the day, every day of our lives."

我们的“呼吸肌肉在我们生命中的每分每秒都在工作”。

A muscle called the diaphragm separates the chest and abdominal cavities.

一种名为横膈膜的肌肉将胸腔和腹腔隔开。

As we breathe in, the diaphragm tightens. The chest cavity opens, and the lungs expand.

当我们吸气时，横膈膜会收紧。胸腔打开，肺部扩张。

When we breathe out, the diaphragm relaxes and moves upward, pushing air out.

当我们呼气时，横隔膜放松并抬高，将空气推出。

When you breathe deeply, the air coming in through your nose fully fills your lungs, and the lower belly rises.

当你深呼吸时，通过鼻子进入的空气会充满肺部，下腹会上升。

On its website, Harvard Medical School notes that deep breathing may slow the heartbeat, lower blood pressure and lower stress.

哈佛医学院在官网上指出，深呼吸可以减慢心跳速度、降低血压和减轻压力。

Deep breaths help your body fully exchange incoming oxygen with outgoing carbon dioxide.

深呼吸有助于身体充分交换吸入的氧气和呼出的二氧化碳。

However, many people do the opposite of deep breathing.

然而，许多人做的深呼吸完全相反。

They take short breaths and have shallow breathing. Experts call this "chest breathing."

他们呼吸短而浅。专家称之为“胸式呼吸”。

Shallow breathing limits the expansion of the diaphragm and its movement.

浅呼吸会限制横隔膜的扩张和移动。

The lower part of the lungs does not get a full share of oxygenated air.

肺部下端不能得到充分的氧气。

This can make you feel short of breath and worried, or anxious.

这可能让你感到呼吸短促、担忧或焦虑。

The American Lung Association notes that shallow breathing, over time, leaves old, stale air in the lungs.

美国肺脏协会指出，随着时间的推移，浅呼吸会在肺部留下陈旧且不新鲜的空气。

This leaves less room for the diaphragm to bring in fresh oxygen.

这会导致横隔膜没有足够的空间来吸收新鲜氧气。

And that means lower oxygen levels and less oxygen for exercise and activity.

这意味着氧含量会降低，用于运动和活动的氧气会减少。

Several health websites explain an easy deep breathing exercise.

数家健康网站介绍了一种简单的深呼吸练习。

Find a place to sit or lie down. Place one hand just below your ribs.

找个地方坐下或躺下。将一只手放在肋骨下面。

Take a slow, deep breath -- or inhale -- through your nose. Feel your hand go up.

用鼻子慢慢地深吸一口气。感觉你的手升了起来。

Your stomach should rise and expand.

你的腹部应该凸起和扩张。

Now breathe out slowly through your mouth.

现在，用嘴慢慢呼气。

Make sure to breathe out -- or exhale -- all the way.

一定要一直呼气。

Feel your hand and stomach go down.

感觉你的手落了下来，腹部恢复。

The American Lung Association website states that if done repeatedly, breathing exercises can help remove stale air from the lungs.

美国肺脏协会官网表示，反复进行呼吸练习可以帮助清除肺部的污浊空气。

This will increase oxygen levels and get the diaphragm to return to its job of helping you breathe.

这将增加氧气含量，使隔膜恢复其帮助呼吸的工作。

Pulmonologist James Hoyt adds that "deep breathing is a good way to reduce stress and relax."

肺科医生詹姆斯·霍伊特补充说，“深呼吸是减轻压力和放松的好方法”。

Hoyt tells patients to avoid smoking, to eat a good diet and to get a good night's rest.

霍伊特告诫病人不要吸烟，饮食要健康，晚上要好好休息。

He also urges them to seek help for respiratory conditions as soon as they are observed.

他还敦促患者在发现呼吸系统疾病后立即寻求帮助。

Shortness of breath happens when you are worried, frightened, or in poor physical shape.

当你担心、害怕或身体状况不佳时会出现呼吸短促的情况。

But it can also be a sign of health problems.

但这也可能是健康问题的征兆。

And that's the Health & Lifestyle report. I'm Anna Matteo.

以上今天的健康生活栏目。安娜·马迪奥报道。