Learn To Breathe Correctly
Have you ever wondered if you breathe correctly? Do you sometimes feel short of breath? Although we often overlook it, learning to breathe properly can have significant benefits.
As we know, breathing is one of the vital functions. It occurs through two phases: inhalation and exhalation. When we inhale, we carry oxygen into the lungs through the windpipe. There, we use the diaphragm and the chest expands.
Then when we breathe out, we release carbon dioxide and contract the diaphragm. According to research published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience , we take about 700 breaths in a one hour period. In addition, we can adjust it by coughing, sneezing, mumbling, and so on.
Benefits of breathing correctly
Learning to breathe correctly has positive effects on the whole body. As a study published in Breathe Sheffield England shows , slow, leisurely breathing benefits the body’s most important systems.
Specifically, it stimulates respiratory, cardiometabolic, circulatory, nervous, and brain functions, among others. Thus, some of its benefits include:
- Venous return increases.
- Improves heart and respiratory rate.
- Increases vagal activity (vagal tone).
- It can lower the mean arterial pressure.
- Improves phasic modulation of sympathetic activity.
- Improves the efficiency of lung gas exchange.
- Improves the efficiency of ventilation and arterial oxygenation.
- It causes the fluctuations of the blood pressure pulse to synchronize with the heart rhythm.
Emotions and breathing
M. Angels Farreny, author of the book “Tell me how you breathe and I will tell you how you live. A guide to living better ”, affirms that emotions, thoughts and actions are based on breathing.
According to his point of view, good emotional management and proper functioning of the organs depend on proper oxygenation. This is indicated by the author of the aforementioned quote; personal breathing and leadership trainer.
Scientific research has also found evidence of the relationship between breathing and emotions. A study in the journal Depression and Anxiety found that taking slow, deep breaths, for example, can help induce a state of relaxation.
Diaphragmatic breathing
It has been scientifically proven that the best type of breathing is diaphragmatic. It is able to calm the breath and relieve tension. Relax your muscles and promote concentration. And in addition, it purifies the respiratory system by expelling stale air from the lungs, oxygenating the blood cells.
In fact, as Dr. Artour Rakhimov (Alternative Health Educator) explains, diaphragmatic breathing is necessary 24/7 for ideal arterial blood oxygenation.
Likewise, this type of breathing induces the development of self-confidence, increases psychic energy and stabilizes the mood. Learning to breathe this way can become an excellent habit.
Better through the nose
First tip: breathing begins through the nose, never through the mouth. Why’s that? Simply because the nose is in charge of cleaning, filtering, moistening and conditioning the air. So that it enters the respiratory tract in good condition.
Exercises to learn to breathe correctly
- We stand or sit, with the spine straight, straight, and always breathing through the nostrils.
- We inhale first through the nose filling the lower part of the lungs. This is how we achieve the indispensable collaboration of the diaphragm.
- When it descends, we will notice how the abdomen swells little by little. The ribs, sternum, and chest are also elevated.
- Once the inhalation is finished, we will try to retain the air for about three seconds.
- Then, we exhale very slowly, gradually putting the abdomen in, expelling all the air.
If we repeat these simple instructions daily, we will notice how in the end this form of breathing will occur almost automatically without us noticing it. We can try to practice this exercise in front of a mirror, placing one hand on the abdomen and the other on the thorax. So that we can see and feel the movements.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there is enough evidence that intentional deep breathing can calm and regulate the autonomic nervous system. It can also lower blood pressure and provide an almost immediate sense of calm. So it’s worth a try!
