DEEP BREATHING BENEFITS ON MIND AND BODY

Breathing is a quintessential part of the body to function properly. It allows the blood cells to receive oxygen, releasing carbon dioxide. Improper breathing discourages oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange, contributing to panic attacks, anxiety, fatigue, and other emotional and physical disruptions in the body.

So, deep breathing is necessary. When compared to regular breathing, diaphragmatic or deep breathing alleviates stress. Regular breathing is generally shallow and doesn’t use the lungs’ full capacity. But deep breathing completely engages the diaphragm and makes the lungs more functional. 

So, what is deep breathing? And how to take a deep breath properly? 

What is Deep Breathing: An Introduction

Deep breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing, is a simplified process to relax and rejuvenate the body. Diaphragmatic breathing is the exercise that strengthens the diaphragm.

It is a breathing technique involving the nose, the diaphragm (the muscle enabling the body to breathe), and the stomach. It starts from the nose, and as soon as the diaphragm contracts, it moves to the stomach.

Taking deep breaths every few minutes reduces phobia, fear, anxiety, stress, depression, and other worries.

11 Major Benefits of Deep or Diaphragmatic Breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing comprises many benefits that affect the whole body. It does everything from lowering stress levels to reducing blood pressure and regulating complex bodily procedures. So, here is a list of significant deep breathing benefits:

1. Alleviates Stress and Anxiety

Stress can negatively impact both physical and mental health. The benefits of deep breathing exercises are that they can alleviate and treat anxiety and nervousness and slow down the heart rate, thereby allowing the body to inhale more oxygen.

Practicing diaphragmatic breathing exercises will signal the brain to wind up. By balancing the hormones, these exercises lower cortisol levels and increase the endorphin rush.

2. Increases the Energy Level

The volume of oxygen a person inhales can change the way they feel. It ramps up the blood flow, thereby increasing oxygenation. The increased oxygen contributes to improved energy levels.

3. Improves Posture

Poor postures can lead to incorrect breathing techniques. Take a deep breath and see how the body starts straightening up during the whole process. When the lungs get automatically filled by air, it straightens the spine.

4. Detoxifies the Body

Carbon dioxide is the natural waste produced by a body through breathing. If the lungs experience shallow breathing, another detoxification system works harder to expel the waste. That may make the body weaker, leading to complex ailments. Deep relaxation techniques reduce the chances of developing illnesses.

5. Promotes a Healthy Sleep Pattern

Besides relieving anxiety and stress, controlled breathing exercises also guarantee healthier sleep. It signals the body to detoxify and return to a calming sense. As a result, people accomplish better sleep patterns. 

People with insomnia can practice some controlled breathing exercises like belly breathing, box breathing, lion’s breathing, and resonance breathing before bedtime.

6. Alleviates Inflammation

Inflammation can occur in the body due to infections, stress, injuries, and excessive toxins. If not curbed at the right time, it can affect the body’s immune system. 

Diaphragmatic breathing coupled with meditation can reduce the body’s acidity by producing the happy hormones dopamine and serotonin. These hormones, being alkaline, neutralize the acidity level in bodies, reducing inflammation.

7. Improves Lymphatic System

Shallow breathing contributes to the sluggish lymphatic system that won’t detoxify appropriately. Diaphragmatic breathing stimulates the lymphatic system, thereby making the body more functional.

8. Restores the Digestive System

Diaphragmatic breathing supplies more oxygen to each body part. 

For the digestive system, the increased blood flow encourages intestinal action. When individuals take a deep breath, it improves the overall digestive system. It also results in a more peaceful nervous system that enhances optimal digestion.

9. Rejuvenates Body and Mind

Anger, phobia, fear, or tension can make muscles more tightened. As a result, breathing becomes shallower, and constricted breathing offers a lesser oxygen level to the body. The benefits of deep breathing exercises are that they reverse the procedure, allowing the body to become calm and composed.

10. Makes Blood Flow Better

Deep relaxation techniques with breathing improve the downward and upward movement of the diaphragm. As a result, it helps remove toxins and improve blood flow.

11. Boosts the Immune System

Deep breathing brings fresh oxygen, thereby exhaling out carbon dioxide and toxins. 

When the blood gets oxygenated, it improves the function of vital organs such as the immune system. A toxin-free, healthier, and cleaner blood supply helps ward off the infection-causing germs from the body.

It also strengthens immunity. Being a natural toxin reliever, long and deep breathing benefits the absorption of nutrients and vitamins in the body and ensures it recovers faster.

How to Take a Deep the  Breath: Engaging in the Practice 

To engage in diaphragm breathing, Wellness Forever asks people to follow these steps:

• Lie down or sit on a flat surface.
• Relax shoulders and shift them down away from ears.
• Put one hand on the chest and another on the stomach.
• Without pushing or straining, completely breathe in through the nose.
• As the air moves through the nostrils into the abdomen, expand the stomach and waist sides (the chest will remain still).
• Purse the lips as if sipping through the straw.
• Exhale gradually through lips for four to five seconds and feel the stomach contracting.
• Repeat several times.

Here are a few other ways of taking a deep breath:

• Rib-stretch breathing
• Numbered breathing
• Lower-back breathing
• Box breathing
• 4-7-8 breathing

Who Should Practice Deep Breathing Yoga?

Breathing sustains life and intimately connects the body, brain, and mind to influence one another. In general, taking deep breaths every few minutes can benefit everyone. 

But individuals who have the following symptoms can try deep breathing yoga. It involves techniques like alternate nostril breathing or Nadi shodhana, humming breathing or brahmari, solar breathing or Surya bhedana, ocean’s breathing or Ujjai, etc.:

• Migraine 
• Tension, anxiety, depression, and stress
• Asthma and COPD conditions
• High blood pressure
• Symptoms of menopause like hot flushes

Quick note: When following a deep-breathing yoga regimen, one should inhale through the mouth or nose and exhale relaxedly. The breath should feel powerful and short.

A Final Thought

So, these are the benefits of deep breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing can be an add-on treatment for individuals with anxiety and respiratory conditions. However, it is best to consult a doctor for better guidance.

Alternatively, visit Wellness Forever to find more about self-help and health guides. Being one of the most prominent pharmacy medical stores in India, they offer genuine medicines, natural food items, immunity booster supplements, medical equipment, etc., to keep people fit and healthy.