Breathing is often taken for granted. Your body does it even when you are not consciously thinking about it. However, there are ways of breathing that are better for you than others. Correct breathing is done by allowing the diaphragm to drop down and letting the abdomen expand as you inhale. As you exhale, the abdominal muscles should contract as the diaphragm moves up. This is opposite of the way many people breathe. There is a tendency to pull the stomach in as you inhale. However, this can inhibit your body's ability to take in oxygen. In addition to using the diaphragm and abdominal muscles correctly, there are many other benefits of correct breathing.
Keeps You Calm
If you are feeling stressed or tense, there is a tendency to breathe very fast and shallow. This can contribute to feelings of anxiety and may even cause hyperventilation. Proper breathing can help to keep your nervous system calm and counteract the harmful effects of stress, says the University of Southern Florida. By taking slow, deep breaths whenever you feel stressed, you send signals to the body that everything is all right. This, in turn, may help you to think through the situation more calmly and make better choices about how to respond.
Helps to Fully Empty the Lungs
Your lungs are designed to take in the air you breathe and make it available to your body. Your lungs are also responsible for removing gasses and waste products after your body uses the oxygen. If you breathe in a shallow manner or have some type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease such as asthma, bronchitis or emphysema, your lungs may become less efficient at their job. By retraining yourself to breathe correctly, you can help your lungs and diaphragm muscles to become stronger and more efficient. According to the Cleveland Clinic, correct breathing will strengthen the diaphragm, respiratory muscles, reduce the workload on your lungs and decrease your body's need for oxygen.
Boost Your Workouts
If you tend to become short of breath easily whenever you exert yourself, breathing correctly can help to counter this. Taking quick, shallow breaths when working out, may not give your body the oxygen it needs to continue exercising. As you become better at proper breathing you can incorporate this technique into your aerobic workouts. While it may feel difficult at first, with time and training, correct breathing will help to fuel your workouts. Eventually you will find you can go longer and harder before getting out of breath.
Combats Fatigue
If you experience periods during the day when you feel run down and tired, taking some proper breaths may give you a burst of energy. This is because it can increase the amount of oxygen and the nutrients it carries to all areas of the body. By allowing the diaphragm to drop as you inhale, the lungs can fully expand and fill with oxygen, which can improve your stamina, says the American Student Medical Association. The next time you feel that your energy is drained try five minutes of deep breathing and see if your energy level improves.
