Tips for Reducing Chest Tightness from COPD 1. Slow Your Breathing As hyper-ventilation can cause chest tightness and anxiety, slow your breathing down. You want to enforce a sense of control over your inhalations so focus on slower breaths. You’ll relax your mind and your body at the same time. Use your breathing techniques, such as pursed lips breathing . 2. Take Deeper Breaths In meditation, a commonly taught practice is inhaling slowly and exhaling slowly. It doesn’t matter the size of the breath, just try to inhale for as high as 8 counts then exhale for the same amount. Special note – Always breathe from the diaphragm, meaning your stomach should be the one rising not your chest. 3. Fix Your Posture When looking to relieve chest tightness, a focus on posture is paramount. When breathing, straighten your back and keep your hands on your lap or your thighs. You also want to keep your eyes closed and your tongue touching the roof of your mouth. When doing thi