Learning About the Active Cycle of Breathing Technique

The active cycle of breathing technique (ACBT) helps you clear mucus and other secretions from your airways. Clearing your airways helps you breathe better if you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, or other breathing problems. It also lowers the chance of infection. ACBT combines three methods, done one after the other.

• Breathing control (BC). This helps relax your airways and open them wider while you breathe more slowly.
• Thoracic expansion exercises (TEE). With TEE, you breathe in deeply and get some air behind the mucus in your airways.
• Huffing. This is also called forced expiration. It helps push the mucus out of your airways.

Mucus interferes with getting oxygen deep into the lungs. This is where oxygen is transferred to the blood, to be carried throughout the body.

ACBT moves mucus from your small airways to larger ones, which can be cleared more easily.

Here’s ACBT in easy steps.

1. Breathing control: Purse your lips like you’re kissing someone. Breathe in slowly through your nose. Breathe out slowly and gently through your pursed lips. Make sure you exhale for twice as long as you inhale. Repeat until you feel that your breathing has relaxed.
2. Thoracic expansion: Breathe in deeply. Hold your breath for 2 or 3 seconds. Breathe it out through your open mouth. Don’t force it. Do this 3 or 4 times, and then repeat breathing control in step 1.
3. Huffing: Take a deep breath and hold it for about 3 seconds. Tilt your head up slightly, and forcefully blow out your breath through an open mouth. Repeat this 2 or 3 times. Cough. Finish with breathing control in step 1.

ACBT is flexible. You can work with your doctor to adapt it to your needs.