Deep breathing can be considered an exercise that contracts and strengthens the diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle located between the chest and abdominal cavities.
Diaphragmatic breathing, as it is also known, provides a host of benefits and can relieve the symptoms of disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
Since it is considered a form of exercise widely used in meditation and relaxation, There are various techniques and variants of deep breathing.
Benefits of deep breathing
- Decreases heart rate.
- Lowers blood pressure.
- Increases core stability or core muscles.
- Increases resistance when doing high-intensity exercises.
- Reduces the risk of injury or the wear and tear of muscle tissue.
- It slows down the breathing rate , so that energy expenditure is lower.
- Reduce stress: Deep breathing can reduce stress levels. This is because when you're stressed, your brain releases cortisol.
Breathing exercises
Pursed Lip Breathing: Inhale through your nose, then exhale for at least twice as long with your lips pursed, as if you were flickering a candle flame.
This helps slow your breathing. It can also help expel extra air from your lungs, which can build up in people with lung diseases like emphysema and COPD, says Mannino. This can help you manage the feeling of shortness of breath and make physical activity easier.
Diaphragmatic (abdominal) breathing: To retrain yourself to use your diaphragm more regularly, place one hand on your abdomen so you can feel it rise and fall. Inhale through your nose and then exhale through your mouth two or three more times. This can help maximize your lung function.
Box Breathing: When you need to relax or de-stress, try inhaling for a count of four, holding your breath for a count of four, exhaling for a count of four, and holding your breath again for a count of four. Repeat this four-stage breathing method until you feel calm.
