How often should deep breathing exercises be performed?

Deep breathing exercises are essential for maintaining lung function, especially in individuals who are recovering from surgery or those with respiratory conditions. Performing these exercises on a regular basis helps expand the lungs, improve oxygenation, and prevent complications such as atelectasis.

The recommendation to perform deep breathing exercises every hour strikes a balance—it is frequent enough to yield benefits without being overly burdensome on the patient. This frequency allows patients to incorporate deep breathing into their routine without leading to fatigue or distraction from other important activities, such as mobility or rest.

The other options suggest either more frequent intervals, which could overwhelm the patient, or less frequent intervals that might not be effective in promoting lung expansion and preventing respiratory complications. Therefore, performing deep breathing exercises every hour is considered an appropriate and practical approach for various patient populations.