Deep breathing brings a huge quantity of air into your lungs. When this air reaches your lungs, it oxygenates the blood, which is then transported to your brain, muscles and organs. Normal inhalation occurs when the diaphragm descends and the external intercostal muscles contract. This increases the volume and decreases the pressure in your chest cavity, thus creating a vacuum and bringing air into your lungs. Normal exhalation is passive and occurs when the diaphragm relaxes and ascends and the external intercostal muscles relax, thus pushing air out of your lungs. Deep breathing is an active procedure that brings needed air into your body for relaxation, strength or survival.
Step 1
Stand, sit or lie in good posture. If standing or sitting, retract your shoulder blades toward each other, pull your shoulders back, stick your chest out, hold your head high, place your neck in line with your spine and look straight forward. If lying supine, put your feet flat on the floor by bending your hips and knees, and assuming the identical upper body position as if standing or sitting. This position allows for complete expansion of the ribcage.
Step 2
Raise your ribcage and suck air into your lungs by simultaneously contracting your accessory breathing muscles. These include your pectoralis major and pectoralis minor in the chest and your sternocleidomastiods, scalenes and upper trapezius muscles in the neck. These muscles assist the diaphragm and the external intercostals in raising the sternum, and raising and expanding the ribcage, thus creating an increase in chest cavity volume and a decrease in chest cavity pressure. This forced or deep breath brings in a greater quantity of air and fills the lungs to a higher capacity than normal breathing. Deep inhalation is most productive when performed slowly through the nasal passage.
Step 3
Close your eyes and hold the position of maximum ribcage expansion and maximum lung capacity for a second.
Step 4
Exhale by contracting your rectus abdominal and internal intercostal muscles. Together these muscles pull the ribcage downward and inward, decreasing the volume and increasing the pressure in the chest cavity. This forces the air out of the lungs. Deep or active exhalation can take place through either the nasal passage or the mouth.
Step 5
Repeat Steps 2, 3 and 4 several times to bring a large volume of fresh air into your lungs and oxygenated blood to your brain, muscles and organs.
References
- "Breath Sounds Made Incredibly Easy!"; Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; 2004
- "The Respiratory System"; Whittenmore; 2004
- University of Wisconsin: Breathing Muscles
- Laura Kowalewski: Muscles of Respiration
