Deep Breathing specifically can help you breathe better. Research found that over one month of practice, people had better oxygen flow and could exhale more oxygen. People who can exhale high amounts have healthier lungs.
What are the Benefits of Deep Breathing
This breathing technique offers several benefits to your body including reducing your blood pressure and heart rate and improving relaxation. During deep breathing, you consciously use your diaphragm to take deep breaths. When you breathe normally, you don’t use your lungs to their full capacity. Deep breathing allows you to use your lungs at 100% capacity to increase lung efficiency.
Deep breathing helps you use your diaphragm correctly while breathing to:
- Strengthen the diaphragm.
- Decrease the work of breathing by slowing your breathing rate.
- Decrease oxygen demand.
- Use less effort and energy to breathe.
Breathing exercises can benefit your emotional, mental, and physical well-being. Regulating your breathing with these practices is said to extend your breath, or vital life force. Beginners should avoid advanced moves and exercise within their capabilities.
- Alleviate Stresses and Anxiety
- Lowers your Blood Pressure
- Can Improve Sleep Quality
- Relaxes your Neck and Facial Muscles
- Eliminate Toxins
- Enhances Mindfulness
- Boosts Lung Capacity
- Increase Cognitive Functions
- Stimulates your Vocal Cords and Diaphragm
- Lessen Cigarette Cravings
What Symptoms can deep breathing help
Deep breathing can help several conditions that cause symptoms that affect how you breathe including:
- Anxiety
- Asthma
- COPD
- Stress
How to Do Deep Breathing
Deep Breathing can be done both sitting and lying down. When you first learn the diaphragmatic breathing technique, it may be easier for you to follow the instructions lying down.
To perform this exercise while lying down:
- To Start lie quietly. Somewhere that doesn’t require any of your attention.
- Lie on your back on a flat surface or in bed, with your knees bent and your head supported. You can use a pillow under your knees to support your legs.
- Place one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your rib cage. This will allow you to feel your diaphragm move as you breathe.
- Breathe in slowly through your nose so that your stomach moves out, causing your hand to rise. The hand on your chest should remain as still as possible.
- Tighten your stomach muscles, so that your stomach moves in, causing your hand to lower as you exhale through pursed lips (see “Pursed Lip Breathing“). The hand on your upper chest should remain as still as possible.
- Repeat the full process two or more times.
To perform this exercise while sitting in a chair:
- Sit comfortably, with your knees bent and your shoulders, head and neck relaxed.
- Place one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your rib cage. This will allow you to feel your diaphragm move as you breathe.
- Breathe in slowly through your nose so that your stomach moves out against your hand. The hand on your chest should remain as still as possible.
- You can also start to increase your exhale count for deeper relaxation as you master box breathing. But remember, this exercise should never feel forced.
You can practice this breathing technique for a short time. Research shows that practicing for 10 minutes brings the most benefits. The basis of alternate-nostril breathing is controlling your breath with focused attention. This kind of deep breathing has many benefits for the mind and body.
The diaphragm is the most efficient muscle for breathing. Your abdominal muscles help move the diaphragm and give you more power to empty your lungs.
The diaphragm is a large, dome-shaped muscle located at the base of the lungs. Diaphragmatic breathing is meant to help you use the diaphragm correctly while breathing.
What are the Types of Breathing Techniques
- Alternate Nostril Breathing
- Lion’s Breath
- Deep Breathing
- Box Breathing
- Diaphragmatic Breathing
- Pursed Lip Breathing
- Mindful Breathing
Conclusion
Simply paying more attention to the breath can have benefits for well-being. Most forms of meditation use breathing techniques to relax the body and calm the mind. Finding the right breathing technique and making it part of a routine can help a person experience the benefits.
Resources NHS