Did you know that we breathe in and out approximately 25,000 times per day (Nestor, James. Breath, 2020)?
Since breathing is an autonomic function, we don't have to think about it. However, when we do think about it, we realize there are many different ways to breathe. We can breathe deeply or shallow, through our nose or through our mouth, we can be intentional or forceful with our breath.
Diaphragmatic or "belly" breathing is a specific type of deep breathing that is beneficial to understand and practice. When belly breathing is performed, the diaphragm drops lower than the typical range of motion which allows for full oxygen exchange in the lungs.
How you can practice this breath is simply by placing one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. When you inhale, aim to puff out your stomach like a balloon. When you exhale, contract your stomach using your abdominal muscles and push the air out. You will want to make sure your chest isn't rising and falling drastically as it would if you were doing typical deep breathing. the focus is all on the abdomen.
Research shows when engaging in belly breathing, the vagus nerve is stimulated which offers numerous health benefits.
The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body. It contains extensive messages between the brain and organs. It travels from the base of the brain, through the neck, chest, and down to the abdomen. It communicates in both directions.
Here are the benefits of diaphragmatic breathing:
decreases breathing rate
decreases stress levels
decreases blood pressure
increases sustained attention
increases mood
decreases cortisol
increases heart rate variability
When to use diaphragmatic breathing:
This breathing technique can be used any time your goal is to relax. If you feel yourself getting stressed, try to switch to this breathing method and notice how much more relaxed you feel. I always recommend first practicing this breathing technique in situations when you're not stressed. When you can practice it calmly and regularly, you'll be more likely to turn to the technique when you're in distress.
Here are some of the times when I use this technique:
driving
when stressed
in the middle of my work day
when enjoying nature
during yoga practice
in bed before falling asleep
in between workout sets to slow my heart rate
for pain management (i.e. headaches or stomach cramps)
Ma X, Yue ZQ, Gong ZQ, Zhang H, Duan NY, Shi YT, Wei GX, Li YF. The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults. Front Psychol. 2017 Jun 6;8:874. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874. PMID: 28626434; PMCID: PMC5455070.
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