The diaphragm, which is a sheet-like, dome-shaped muscle, is located beneath the heart and lungs and above the abdomen. With inhalation, the diaphragm contracts and moves downward, increasing space in the chest for the lungs to expand. Exhalation pushes the diaphragm upward which decreases the space in the chest. People use diaphragmatic breathing to improve medical conditions, for meditation and relaxation and as a healthier method of breathing.
Techniques
Learning a proper technique improves your performance of diaphragmatic breathing. Tighten your stomach muscles and exhale through pursed lips while keeping the hand on your upper chest very still. During normal, or quiet, breathing, your diaphragm moves up and down by one or two centimeters; however, when you are engaged in physical activity, your diaphragm can move up and down more than 10 cm.
Positions
The prone position requires you to lay on your back, either on a flat surface or a bed, with your knees bent. Provide support for your head, place one hand on your chest and the other below your rib cage to feel the movement of your diaphragm during breathing. Another position requires you to sit in a chair and place your hands in the same position as with the prone position. You also can perform diaphragmatic breathing while standing and using the same hand positions as with the other positions.
Beginners
You can assume different positions when practicing diaphragmatic breathing, such as lying on your back or sitting in a chair. The Cleveland Clinic suggests that beginners might find it easier to start with lying down to perform the diaphragmatic breathing technique and progress to sitting in a chair. Practice breathing from the diaphragm three to four times a day in five- to 10-minutes sessions. With practice, breathing from your diaphragm becomes less tiring and more automatic.
Sandbag Technique
The sandbag breathing technique uses a sand-filled bag, or a heavy book, placed on your stomach during breathing to help strengthen your diaphragm. Lay on the floor, with your spine straight, your legs slightly apart, arms straight along the sides of your body with palms facing up, and your head and neck supported by a thin cushion. Begin a smooth, uninterrupted pattern of breathing and then place the bag on your stomach, raising and lowering the bag as you breathe in and out. Breathe with the sandbag in place for about five minutes, remove the bag and continue breathing while noticing the difference with the bag.
Complete Exhalation
Chest-breathing, or shallow breathing, can disrupt the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your body, which increases anxiety and can cause hyperventilation. Some meditation and relaxation techniques require you to concentrate on your diaphragm and proper breathing: equal time for inhaling and exhaling, inhaling through your nose and exhaling completely through your nose and mouth. The Fibromyalgia Community website recommends practicing complete exhalation by pretending to blow enough air to flicker the flame on a lit candle without extinguishing the flame.
