A cough is a protective reflex that acts to clear the large breathing
passages of foreign particles, microbes, phlegm, saliva, other fluids. Cough ejects
obstructions to breathing, and stretches and contracts various muscles. It
involves a forced exhalation of air against a closed glottis. The diaphragm
creates the pressure and when this pressure reaches a certain level the glottis
and vocal cords open resulting in a violent release of air from the lungs. It
is very similar to a laugh, and in a sense is like a hiccup in reverse. I believe
that it may also be a mechanism for delivering blood to sensitive respiratory
tissues and play an important function in health. By the time they are old many
people have a very weak, highly strained cough that probably no longer performs
its most important functions. For this reason, this short section will guide
you in rehabbing your cough.
Most people’s coughs are full of so much tension that each cough pits
different muscles against each other, damaging and wearing each other down.
Most people cough violently or not at all. This maybe because we are accustomed
to thinking of coughing as a negative thing, associated with disease and death.
Instead, think of it as positive and healthy, and do it gently.
Vocal Exercise #4: Detraumatize Your Cough
Cough one hundred times in under five minutes.
Start very gently and find a safe, sustainable cough. Build up to a more
forceful cough while ensuring that there is zero associated pain or strain. Inhale
slowly and deeply then cough until you have no air left, and repeat. Focus on
coughing in different ways, at different levels of depth, intensity and pitch. Stick
out your tongue. Experiment with a barking cough, a whooping cough, and a
staccato cough. Try to extend a cough creating a single raspy sound over several
seconds. Think of this as an antifrailty exercise intended to rehabilitate your
cough. Search for dormant muscle. Afterwards pay attention to any tension or
bracing that may have been caused by the exercise and quell it.
For more health building exercises visit www.programpeace.com
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