Thanks to your breath, you possess the inherent ability to calm your mind, create more energy, relieve stress, heighten perception, boost circulation, sleep better and even lose weight. When combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise, proper breathing helps you burn fat and improve your overall health and fitness --- with no side effects.
Aerobic Breathing
Aerobic simply means "oxygen." So by aerobic breathing, you're inhaling more oxygen --- and supplying nutrients --- into your body. If you're a shallow breather, meaning you only use the upper part of your lungs, your body is receiving less oxygen and releasing less carbon dioxide. If you breathe deeply, using your diaphragm, you're expanding your lungs, activating your relaxation response and improving your lymphatic system, which removes waste from your body via exhalation.
According to Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP, if you aren't breathing deeply or moving regularly, your lymph fluid may not be flowing optimally. This may cause high blood pressure, fatigue, inflammation and weight gain.
Your Nose Knows
Aerobic exercise, such as walking, running, bicycling or dancing, can help you increase endurance and burn more fat, says Dennis Lewis, author of "Tao of Breathing" and "Free Your Breath, Free Your Life." For these exercises, Lewis recommends breathing naturally through your nose rather than your mouth. By nostril breathing, you filter the air you inhale, regulate your body temperature and help balance your blood's levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Mouth breathing may cause shallow breathing and too much air inhaled and exhaled too quickly.
Aerobic vs. Anaerobic
Lewis advises against getting out of breath during a workout because you're no longer taking in oxygen. At this point, your exercise has become "anaerobic," or "without oxygen," and you're no longer burning fat for fuel. Plus, less oxygen to the brain may stimulate your sympathetic nervous system and make you anxious or irritable. Breathing through your nose only may slow you down at first but will become more comfortable with practice, says Lewis.
Technique
To practice aerobic breathing, sit up straight and begin with a full exhalation, through your nose, to empty out your lungs. Pause, and pull your stomach in to help release any more air. Then, inhale slowly using your diaphragm. Practice 10 to 20 times.
Pranayama
One aspect of yoga, called pranayama, offers deep-breathing techniques that can contribute to weight loss. A study led by Anand B. Shetty at Hampton University in Virginia reports that yoga and breathing exercises can help teens lose weight. According to Shetty, this may be because the breathing exercises can change the brain's metabolism, which may have lessened hunger.
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