Deep breathing (also known as diaphragmatic breathing, belly breathing, or abdominal breathing) is an ancient practice with roots in yoga and martial arts and is still taught in therapy and wellness facilities today. Some research suggests that deep breathing affects breathing parasympathetic nervous systemResponsible for the rest and digestive response, which provides health benefits such as stress management, better sleep and more.

1. Stress Management

Deep breathing can help reduce stress by triggering a “relaxation response” in the body and helping the mind clear distracting thoughts. Daily deep breathing exercises have also been shown to reduce blood pressure, a physical sign of reduced stress.

2. Better Sleep

There is some evidence that deep breathing before bed may improve sleep quality. In one study, participants who followed a 15-minute pre-sleep deep breathing program for 30 days experienced better quality sleep compared to those who used social media for 15 minutes before sleep.

3. Improves Lung Function

There is low-level evidence that deep breathing can improve lung function, especially when paired with exercise programs such as walking or upper-body exercises.

4. Increase Energy and Motivation

Deep breathing can increase your energy levels by delivering oxygen-rich blood to your organs more efficiently. It has also been shown to reduce stress, so it may also increase motivation. When you feel more relaxed and less stressed, you have more energy for the things you want and need to do.

5. Improve Concentration

Diaphragmatic breathing can help increase concentration and attention. In one study, participants completed 20 sessions of deep breathing over eight weeks. The deep breathing group significantly improved sustained attention compared to the control group.

6. Reduce Muscle Tension

Deep breathing can also reduce muscle tension as part of the relaxation response. For an even greater effect, you can pair breathing with: progressive muscle relaxationContract your muscles with each inhale and release them with each exhale.

7. Strengthen the Immune System

It’s even possible that deep breathing can strengthen the immune system. Research has found that breathing movements in our lung walls trigger a protective immune response that eliminates viruses and inflammation in lung tissue.

8. Improve Your Body’s Ability to Tolerate Exercise

Exercise tolerance refers to your ability to continue exercising until you are fully exhausted. A small group of studies has examined the benefits of deep breathing in improving exercise tolerance, particularly for individuals with disabilities. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

In What Situations Can Deep Breathing Help?

Besides all the benefits mentioned above, deep breathing can be beneficial for everyone. However, people with certain health conditions may find that deep breathing has certain advantages.

• Stress and anxiety: Studies have found that deep breathing can reduce blood pressure and cortisol (stress hormone) levels, which are markers of stress.
• COPD: Breathing exercises (especially pursed-lip or abdominal breathing) can help regain strength and flexibility around the lungs and help save energy during daily tasks in people with COPD.
• Asthma: Breathing exercises may help improve the quality of life, lung function, and hyperventilation symptoms of people with asthma, according to a systematic review.

Are There Any Disadvantages of Deep Breathing?

Deep breathing, when done incorrectly, can lead to hyperventilation (rapid breathing, leading to low levels of carbon dioxide in the blood). It may cause dizziness and dizziness. In severe cases, this can cause loss of consciousness.

Some studies have found that deep breathing can worsen chest wall motion, reduce ventilation efficiency, and increase the overall respiratory workload for people with COPD. If you have COPD, talk to a healthcare professional before starting a deep breathing program. They may ask you to monitor your oxygen levels and avoid certain techniques or positions.

How to Start Breathing Techniques?

It can be helpful to understand your anatomy before starting a workout. breathing work practical.

Everyone has a diaphragma large, dome-shaped muscle under the lungs. When the diaphragm flattens, it pulls the lungs down and the lungs expand and fill with air. You can imagine this as your belly expanding outwards when you breathe.

You can breathe without using the diaphragm; the upper lobes of the lungs fill with air. During this type of breathing, the upper chest may rise but the abdomen remains flat. This type of breathing doesn’t work as many muscles, doesn’t fill the lungs fully, and can leave stale air in the lungs.

Supine Diaphragmatic Breathing

Supine is the technical term for lying flat on your back. So, supine diaphragmatic breathing is a way to practice diaphragmatic breathing while lying down (on your bed, on the floor, or wherever you’re comfortable).

Many people find learning diaphragmatic breathing and they exercise their muscles more easily in this position than in sitting or standing positions. If you’ve never done diaphragmatic breathing before, this is a great place to start.

1. Lie flat on your back.
2. Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach.
3. Take a deep breath using your diaphragm, raising your hand above your belly, but keeping the hand on your chest still.
4. Exhale and lower your hand onto your belly, keeping your chest still.
5. Repeat.

If you have trouble activating your diaphragm with your hands alone, you can also place a heavy book or other object on your stomach to help with sensory feedback.

Pursed Lip Breathing

Pursed-lip breathing is often recommended for people with COPD or others who need help with pacing and conserving energy. It is a breathing technique that encourages you to slow your breathing rate, open your lungs for longer periods of time, and increase oxygen flow.

1. Breathe through your nose.
2. Exhale through your lips while positioned as if wrapped around a straw.
3. Try to keep your exhalations twice as long as your inhalations. For example, count to four as you inhale and count to eight as you exhale.

Pursed-lip breathing is especially helpful during times of exertion or recovery.

Box Breath

box breathing It is an easy breathing technique to learn and is often recommended for people who want to relieve stress or anxiety.

1. Inhale through your nose for a count of four.
2. Hold your breath for a count of four.
3. Exhale through your mouth for a count of four.
4. Hold your breath for a count of four.
5. Repeat.

You can add a visual component to this exercise by following your gaze around a square or rectangular object, such as a window or a book.

4-7-8 Breathing

4-7-8 breathing is another technique that is especially helpful for people suffering from stress and anxiety. This breathing technique helps slow the breathing rate and calm the mind.

1. Breathe in through your nose for four seconds.
2. Hold your breath for seven seconds.
3. Exhale through your mouth for eight seconds.

Who Can Help Me with Diaphragmatic Breathing?

Some healthcare professionals are qualified to help you learn diaphragmatic breathing and advise on techniques specific to your particular situation. These include mental health professionals, occupational, physical or respiratory therapists, heart specialists, primary care physicians and more.

Other skilled workers, such as yoga teachers, tai chi and martial arts instructors, may also teach deep breathing techniques.

Summary

Deep breathing can improve stress levels, sleep, lung function, energy, concentration and more. It is a technique that has been taught for thousands of years and is still used today, with research supporting its benefits for people with COPD, asthma, anxiety and many other diseases.