Do your lungs a favour and take a deep breath

Zurich (dpa) – Sighing can ease lung function, with deep breathing playing a crucial role in restoring the lung's pliability, say scientists in an international study, in findings that could point to new ways of treating lung problems in future. Our lungs expand when we inhale and contract when we exhale. During this process, the tissue and surface of the organ provide resistance. The fluid on the surface of the lungs reduces this resistance, especially after deep breaths, says the study led by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH). "The fluid wets the entire surface, making the lung more deformable or to use a technical term, more compliant," says study leader Jan Vermant in an ETH statement about the research. That makes breathing easier, as the more compliant the organ