Your lungs are the 3rd largest organ in the human body only to follow the skin and the liver. Your lungs are approximately 9.5 inches long and 3.5 to 4 inches wide (at the widest part), they weigh a little over 2 pounds. If you take your lungs and spread them out they would probably take up half of a tennis court. Lungs are usually fully matured when an adult reaches the age of 20 to 25.
Our lungs are vital organs and when not working properly cause a serious lack of mobility. If it is hard to breathe it is hard to do anything. What is the best way to determine the current health status of your lungs? 1) How easy is it for you to breathe, 2) Can you take deep breaths for a 10 to 15 second period of time easily, 3) Can you breathe easily in hot or cold temperatures? If you can do those basic 3 things your lungs are probably functioning well. If you have difficulty doing any one of the three you should probably see a doctor.
Things that do serious damage to your lungs especially over time include, smoking and being around smokers (2nd-hand smoke), pollutants (both indoor and outdoor), infections, and lack of exercise.
It is easy to increase the ability of your lungs because breathing is the exercise they need.
Resources:
Summa Health, Incorporate These 5 Daily Habits to Improve Your Lung Health, Faisal Qadir, M.D., February 20, 2023
https://www.summahealth.org/flourish/entries/2023/02/incorporate-these-5-daily-habits-to-improve-your-lung-health
Last viewed: 20240831
Columbia University, Irving Medical Center, Columbia Doctors, How to know your lungs are healthy, Wilson Quezada, MD., April 13, 2023,
https://www.columbiadoctors.org/news/how-know-your-lungs-are-healthy
Last viewed: 20240831