Being human, we forget the
wonder of breathing. We take it for granted. It takes a health crisis or bad
air quality for us to appreciate this basic, yet profound ability.
Breathe in. Breathe out. We do
this all day, every day without a thought. Ask yourself this- when was the last
time you took a deep breath? Probably not as frequently as you think. I would
venture to say only a few times a day. But did you know that deep breathing is
one of our easiest, most convenient and natural tools to combat issues like
stress and anxiety, reduce pain, high blood pressure and even aide in
digestion?
Yoga, meditation and other
relaxation techniques all depend on focusing on the breath. There are many
benefits of meditation and proper breathing is an important part of learning
how to calm the mind and body.
So why should you do this?
Simply put- extra oxygen does wonders for the body and mind. It cleanses, opens
and soothes different parts of our being and is overall something extremely
healthy we can all do. Here are a few benefits to deep breathing:
Let us look at the benefits of
deep breathing and why you should make it part of your everyday living.
1. Breathing Detoxifies and
Releases Toxins:
Your body is designed to release
70% of its toxins through breathing. If you are not breathing effectively, you
are not properly ridding your body of its toxins i.e. other systems in your
body must work overtime which could eventually lead to illness. When you exhale
air from your body you release carbon dioxide that has been passed through from
your bloodstream into your lungs. Carbon dioxide is a natural waste of your
body’s metabolism.
2. Breathing Releases Tension:
Think how your body feels when
you are tense, angry, scared or stressed. It constricts. Your muscles get tight
and your breathing becomes shallow. When your breathing is shallow you are not
getting the amount of oxygen that your body needs.
3. Breathing Relaxes the
Mind/Body and Brings Clarity:
Oxygenation of the brain
reducing excessive anxiety levels. Paying attention to your breathing. Breathe
slowly, deeply and purposefully into your body. Notice any places that are
tight and breathe into them. As you relax your body, you may find that the
breathing brings clarity and insights to you as well.
4. Breathing Relieves
Emotional Problems:
Breathing will help clear
uneasy feelings out of your body.
5. Breathing Relieves Pain:
You may not realize its
connection to how you think, feel and experience life. For example, what
happens to your breathing when you anticipate pain? You probably hold your
breath. Yet studies show that breathing into your pain helps to ease it.
6. Breathing Massages Your
Organs:
The movements of the diaphragm
during the deep breathing exercise massages the stomach, small intestine, liver
and pancreas. The upper movement of the diaphragm also massages the heart. When
you inhale air your diaphragm descends and your abdomen will expand. By this
action you massage vital organs and improves circulation in them. Controlled
breathing also strengthens and tones your abdominal muscles.
7. Breathing Increases Muscle:
Breathing is the oxygenation
process to all of the cells in your body. With the supply of oxygen to the
brain this increases the muscles in your body.
8. Breathing Strengthens the
Immune System:
Oxygen travels through your
bloodstream by attaching to hemoglobin in your red blood cells. This in turn
then enriches your body to metabolise nutrients and vitamins.
9. Breathing Improves Posture:
Good breathing techniques over
a sustained period of time will encourage good posture. Bad body posture will
result of incorrect breathing so this is such an important process by getting
your posture right from early on you will see great benefits.
10. Breathing Improves Quality
of the Blood:
Deep breathing removes all the
carbon-dioxide and increases oxygen in the blood and thus increases blood
quality.
11. Breathing Increases
Digestion and Assimilation of food:
The digestive organs such as
the stomach receive more oxygen, and hence operates more efficiently. The
digestion is further enhanced by the fact that the food is oxygenated more.
12. Breathing Improves the
Nervous System:
The brain, spinal cord and
nerves receive increased oxygenation and are more nourished. This improves the
health of the whole body, since the nervous system communicates to all parts of
the body.
13. Breathing Strengthen the
Lungs:
As you breathe deeply the lung
become healthy and powerful, a good insurance against respiratory problems.
14. Proper Breathing makes the
Heart Stronger:
Breathing exercises reduce the
workload on the heart in two ways. Firstly, deep breathing leads to more
efficient lungs, which means more oxygen, is brought into contact with blood
sent to the lungs by the heart. So, the heart doesn’t have to work as hard to
deliver oxygen to the tissues. Secondly, deep breathing leads to a greater
pressure differential in the lungs, which leads to an increase in the
circulation, thus resting the heart a little.
15. Proper Breathing assists in Weight Control:
If you are overweight, the
extra oxygen burns up the excess fat more efficiently. If you are underweight,
the extra oxygen feeds the starving tissues and glands.
16. Breathing Elevates Moods:
Breathing increase
pleasure-inducing neuro chemicals in the brain to elevate moods and combat
physical pain.
How do you do breathing
exercises?
There are lots of breathing
exercises you can do to help relax. The first exercise below—belly breathing—is
simple to learn and easy to do. It's best to start there if you have never done
breathing exercises before. The other exercises are more advanced. All of these
exercises can help you relax and relieve stress.
1.
Belly breathing
Breathe in calmly, through the
nose, filling your abdomen and chest, for 5 seconds (or longer, not exceeding 7
seconds). Hold this breath in for 3 seconds. Slowly and gently release the
breath through the mouth for 5 seconds (or more, whatever is comfortable.) breathe out through a slightly parted lip or
“O” shaped lips. Do this breathing 3 to 10 times. Take your time with each
breath.
Important tips: Deep breathing
should be slow and gentle. Remember to fill the abdomen, not just the chest. A
simple way to make sure you are doing this is to place one hand on your stomach
and one on your chest. Breath deeply and make sure your hand on your stomach is
rising. Try to be aware of your breath, heartbeat and to release tension from
your body. Sometimes it’s easier to lie down or sit comfortably in a chair.
2.
4-7-8 breathing
This exercise also uses belly
breathing to help you relax. You can do this exercise either sitting or lying
down.
To start, put one hand on your
belly and the other on your chest as in the belly breathing exercise.
Take a deep, slow breath from
your belly, and silently count to 4 as you breathe in. Hold your breath, and
silently count from 1 to 7. Breathe out completely as you silently count from 1
to 8. Try to get all the air out of your lungs by the time you count to 8. Repeat
3 to 7 times or until you feel calm.
Notice how you feel at the end
of the exercise.
3.
Roll breathing
Roll breathing helps you to
develop full use of your lungs and to focus on the rhythm of your breathing.
You can do it in any position. But while you are learning, it is best to lie on
your back with your knees bent.
·
Put your left hand on your belly and your right
hand on your chest. Notice how your hands move as you breathe in and out.
·
Practice filling your lower lungs by breathing
so that your "belly" (left) hand goes up when you inhale and your
"chest" (right) hand remains still. Always breathe in through your
nose and breathe out through your mouth. Do this 8 to 10 times.
·
When you have filled and emptied your lower
lungs 8 to 10 times, add the second step to your breathing: inhale first into
your lower lungs as before, and then continue inhaling into your upper chest.
Breathe slowly and regularly. As you do so, your right hand will rise and your
left hand will fall a little as your belly falls.
·
As you exhale slowly through your mouth, make a
quiet, whooshing sound as first your left hand and then your right hand fall.
As you exhale, feel the tension leaving your body as you become more and more
relaxed.
·
Practice breathing in and out in this way for 3
to 5 minutes. Notice that the movement of your belly and chest rises and falls
like the motion of rolling waves.
Caution: Some people get dizzy
the first few times they try roll breathing. If you begin to breathe too fast
or feel lightheaded, slow your breathing. Get up slowly.
4.
Morning breathing
Try this exercise when you
first get up in the morning to relieve muscle stiffness and clear clogged
breathing passages. Then use it throughout the day to relieve back tension.
·
From a standing position, bend forward from the
waist with your knees slightly bent, letting your arms dangle close to the
floor.
·
As you inhale slowly and deeply, return to a
standing position by rolling up slowing, lifting your head last.
·
Hold your breath for just a few seconds in this
standing position.
· Exhale slowly as you return to the original position, bending forward from the waist.
5.
Breath focus technique
This deep breathing technique
uses imagery or focus words and phrases. You can choose a focus word that makes
you smile, feel relaxed, or that is simply neutral to think about. Examples
include peace, let go, or relax, but it can be any word that suits you to focus
on and repeat through your practice.
·
Sit or lie down in a comfortable place.
·
Bring your awareness to your breaths without
trying to change how you’re breathing.
·
Alternate between normal and deep breaths a few
times. Notice any differences between normal breathing and deep breathing.
Notice how your abdomen expands with deep inhalations.
·
Note how shallow breathing feels compared to
deep breathing.
·
Practice your deep breathing for a few minutes.
·
Place one hand below your belly button, keeping
your belly relaxed, and notice how it rises with each inhale and falls with
each exhale.
·
Let out a loud sigh with each exhale.
·
Begin the practice of breath focus by combining
this deep breathing with imagery and a focus word or phrase that will support
relaxation.
·
You can imagine that the air you inhale brings
waves of peace and calm throughout your body. Mentally say, “Inhaling peace and
calm.”
· Imagine that the air you exhale washes away tension and anxiety. You can say to yourself, “Exhaling tension and anxiety.”
6.
Lion’s breath
Lion’s breath is an energizing
yoga breathing practice that is said to relieve tension in your chest and face.
It’s also known in yoga as Lion’s Pose or simhasana in Sanskrit.
·
Come into a comfortable seated position. You
can sit back on your heels or cross your legs.
·
Press your palms against your knees with your
fingers spread wide.
·
Inhale deeply through your nose and open your
eyes wide.
·
At the same time, open your mouth wide and
stick out your tongue, bringing the tip down toward your chin.
·
Contract the muscles at the front of your
throat as you exhale out through your mouth by making a long “ha” sound.
·
You can turn your gaze to look at the space
between your eyebrows or the tip of your nose.
· Do this breath 2 to 3 times.
7.
Alternate nostril breathing
Alternate nostril breathing
has been shown to enhance cardiovascular function and to lower heart rate. It
is best practiced on an empty stomach. Avoid the practice if you’re feeling
sick or congested. Keep your breath smooth and even throughout the practice.
·
Choose a comfortable seated position.
·
Lift up your right hand toward your nose,
pressing your first and middle fingers down toward your palm and leaving your
other fingers extended.
·
After an exhale, use your right thumb to gently
close your right nostril.
·
Inhale through your left nostril and then close
your left nostril with your right pinky and ring fingers.
·
Release your thumb and exhale out through your
right nostril.
·
Inhale through your right nostril and then
close this nostril.
·
Release your fingers to open your left nostril
and exhale through this side.
·
This is one cycle.
·
Continue this breathing pattern for up to 5
minutes.
· Finish your session with an exhale on the left side.
8.
Equal breathing
Equal breathing is known as
sama vritti in Sanskrit. This breathing technique focuses on making your
inhales and exhales the same length. Making your breath smooth and steady can
help bring about balance and equanimity.
·
Choose a comfortable seated position.
·
Breathe in and out through your nose.
·
Count during each inhale and exhale to make
sure they are even in duration. Alternatively, choose a word or short phrase to
repeat during each inhale and exhale.
·
You can add a slight pause or breath retention
after each inhale and exhale if you feel comfortable. (Normal breathing
involves a natural pause.)
· Continue practicing this breath for at least 5 minutes.
9.
Resonant or coherent breathing
Resonant breathing, also known
as coherent breathing, is when you breathe at a rate of 5 full breaths per
minute. You can achieve this rate by inhaling and exhaling for a count of 5.
Breathing at this rate
maximizes your heart rate variability (HRV), reduces stress, and, according to
one 2017 study, can reduce symptoms of depression when combined with Iyengar
yoga.
·
Inhale for a count of 5.
·
Exhale for a count of 5.
· Continue this breathing pattern for at least a few minutes.
10. Sitali
breath
This yoga breathing practice
helps you lower your body temperature and relax your mind.
·
Choose a comfortable seated position.
·
Stick out your tongue and curl your tongue to bring
the outer edges together.
·
If your tongue doesn’t do this, you can purse
your lips.
·
Inhale through your mouth.
·
Exhale out through your nose.
· Continue breathing like this for up to 5 minutes.
11. Humming
bee breath (bhramari)
The unique sensation of this
yoga breathing practice helps to create instant calm and is especially soothing
around your forehead. Some people use humming bee breath to relieve
frustration, anxiety, and anger. Of course, you’ll want to practice it in a
place where you are free to make a humming sound.
·
Choose a comfortable seated position.
·
Close your eyes and relax your face.
·
Place your first fingers on the tragus
cartilage that partially covers your ear canal.
·
Inhale, and as you exhale gently press your
fingers into the cartilage.
·
Keeping your mouth closed, make a loud humming
sound.
·
Continue for as long as is comfortable.
The Takeaway
Schedule your deep breathing
exercise just as you would schedule important business appointments. Set aside
a minimum of two 10 minute segments of time everyday although you can begin
with two five minutes segments if you prefer.
Use these breathing techniques
throughout the day to help you regulate stress levels and pump oxygen into your
heart and brain. These exercises don’t need any special equipment and can be
done anywhere. Now that you know various breathing techniques, use them to
reduce anxiety and stress, increase energy and improve the health of your heart
and your brain.
Check in with your doctor if
you have any medical concerns or take any medications. If you want to learn
more about breathing practices you can consult a respiratory therapist or a
yoga teacher who specialises in breathing practices. Discontinue the practice
if you experience any feelings of discomfort or agitation.
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Posts
Pranayaam play a great role of breathing exercises
ReplyDeleteVery effective too ๐๐