What You Should Know About Your Lungs
Your lungs do a lot more than just help you breathe—they’re absolutely essential for keeping you alive. But even though they’re so important, most people don’t really know much about how they work or the cool, lesser-known facts behind them.
In this quick read, we’re diving into some of the basics and sharing three surprising facts about your lungs you might not have heard before.
The Basics: How Your Lungs Work
Your lungs are two soft, spongy organs that sit on either side of your chest. Each one is divided into sections called lobes—the right lung has three, and the left has two (to make room for your heart).
When you breathe in, air enters through your nose or mouth, travels down your windpipe (trachea), and moves into the lungs through branching airways called bronchi. From there, it makes its way into even smaller tubes called bronchioles, ending at tiny air sacs called alveoli.
This is where the magic happens. Oxygen from the air passes into your bloodstream, and carbon dioxide (a waste gas) gets pushed out to be exhaled. The oxygen-rich blood then travels around your body, fueling every cell, organ, and tissue you’ve got.
3 Fascinating Facts About Your Lungs
1. Your lungs aren’t twins—one’s bigger than the other.
Yep, the right lung is actually a bit larger than the left. That’s because your heart leans slightly to the left side of your chest, so your left lung makes room for it.
2. They can float on water.
Believe it or not, healthy lungs are buoyant! That’s thanks to all the air trapped in the alveoli. In fact, this has even been used in forensic science to check whether a newborn had taken a breath—using what’s known as the “lung float test.”
3. Their total surface area is HUGE.
If you were to spread out all the tiny alveoli in your lungs, they’d cover about the same area as a tennis court. That’s a whole lot of space packed into your chest—and it’s necessary for all that gas exchange to happen efficiently.
Breathe Easy—And Stay Informed
Your lungs are working hard for you every second of the day, so it’s worth taking care of them. Avoid smoking, stay active, and get regular checkups—especially if you have a history of breathing issues.
If you’re ever worried about your lung health, don’t hesitate to reach out to Well-Gen Health . We’re here to help you breathe better.
