Your diaphragm is a parachute-shaped muscle across the bottom of your ribs, dividing your thoracic and abdominal cavities. The diaphragm is slightly higher on the right because of the liver and lower on the left because of the heart. When you inhale, the diaphragm contracts and the dome flattens downward as the lungs and abdomen expand. When you exhale, your diaphragm rises as your abdomen contracts and your lungs empty.
Find Your Diaphragm
Lie on your back in a comfortable position with a pillow under your head. Place a bolster or rolled blanket under your knees to support your legs, but keep your feet on the floor. Relax your neck and shoulder muscles. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach, just below your rib cage so you can feel your diaphragm. Inhale and notice how your lower hand rises. The hand on your chest remains still.
Diaphragmatic Breathing Benefits
Babies naturally do diaphragmatic breathing when they're born. Diaphragmatic breathing helps slow your breathing so you don't have to work so hard. The movement of the diaphragm massages the liver, stomach and other digestive organs as well as your heart. This helps detoxify the organs, balance the nervous system, promote blood circulation and efficiently pump lymphatic fluid.
If you suffer from anxiety, diaphragmatic breathing ensures that you are not breathing shallowly. This style of breathing, using only your chest, increases your anxiety.
Relaxing Breath
Another way to practice diaphragmatic breathing is to lie comfortably on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat. Pay attention to your breathing. Rub your hands together until they get warm. Stack your warm hands on your belly, directly over your navel. Notice how your belly expands into your hands, where it's warm. This is where your breath naturally wants to go. You can also do this practice while sitting down. Whenever you feel tense or stressed, practice diaphragmatic breathing for a calming effect.
Practice
By consciously practicing diaphragmatic breathing, you will eventually breathe this way naturally. Practice in the early morning and again in the evening. Keep the flow of your breath even, smooth and slow. Do not strain, and do not over-exaggerate. Breathe through your nostrils, not your mouth. For deeper relaxation, exhale for twice as long as you inhale. This is a practice for meditation.
References
- "Yoga Anatomy"; Leslie Kaminoff; 2007
- Do Yoga: Diaphragmatic Breath
- Authentic Breathing: Deep Breathing Facts
- Swami J: Diaphragmatic Breathing
- "Free Your Breath, Free Your Life"; Dennis Lewis; 2004
