Breathing is a function of your body's respiratory system. Your lungs deliver oxygen to small air sacs called alveoli when you breath in through your nose and mouth. The air you inhale seeps into your bloodstream through small blood vessels called capillaries that are wrapped around the alveoli. Breathing is a physical activity that you may control consciously or unconsciously. Unconscious breathing helps keep you alive. Conscious breathing techniques can help you communicate or manage stress.
Delivers Oxygen
Breathing is the only physiological process in your body that delivers oxygen to parts of your body that need it. Your lungs deliver oxygen to your blood when you breathe and your body requires this oxygen to make energy from the food that you eat. You may feel short of breath if your lungs cannot supply enough oxygen to your blood. Every cell in your body needs oxygen that you breathe in order to survive. Physical movement and activity requires oxygen. Thinking also requires adequate supplies of oxygen in your brain.
Removes Carbon Dioxide
Concentrations of carbon dioxide in your body trigger unconscious breathing. Breathing removes carbon dioxide from your body when you exhale. Carbon dioxide is a waste gas that your body makes during energy production. High levels of carbon dioxide in your body can harm your health by causing asphyxia. Symptoms of asphyxia include dizziness, fatigue, headaches and nausea. You may lose consciousness or die with high levels of carbon dioxide in your body.
Speech Control
Conscious and unconscious breathing helps you control your speech. Airflow generated by your abdomen, diaphragm, ribs and lungs produces your voice when you exhale. Inhaling efficiently when you breath improves your ability to control different elements of your speech. Efficient inhalation and controlled exhalation gives you control over the intensity of your voice, rate of speech and tonal range of your voice for activities like singing and dramatic speaking.
Wellbeing
Conscious breathing techniques, such as diaphragmatic breathing, can improve your sense of wellbeing by helping you overcome stress and improving your energy level. Your stress level may correspond with your breathing pattern. Diaphragmatic breathing can improve your physical stamina, immune system functioning, blood flow to your heart and resistance to lung infections. AMSA.org recommends diaphragmatic breathing when you are in physical pain or dwelling on upsetting thoughts.
