"Don't panic! Just take a few deep breaths". You must have come across this statement either in movies or in reality. It is a common notion among people that taking a few deep breaths instantly relaxes one's mind. Sounds like a magic formula to beat anxiety isn't it? Well it turns out that deep breathing doesn't only help evade anxiety, experts claim that deep breathing comes with numerous other health benefits.
It has been found that if a person's breathing pattern is incorrect then it can produce tension, exhaustion and vocal strain. It is also said to interfere with athletic activity and encourage aches and illnesses. When you breathe through your chest (also known as shallow breathing), only a small volume of air is drawn in, i.e. you do not take in sufficient oxygen or expel sufficient carbon oxide. As a result, toxins build up in your body and you begin to get deprived of the rightful quantity of oxygen. Deep breathing can have a powerful influence on your health. With proper practice, deep breathing can become the standard way of breathing and increase your lifespan.
Benefits of Deep Breathing
- Relieves Stress: Daily activities and relationships can often drain out a person and increase stress levels. This would mean fast breathing rate and high blood pressure which can be considered bad to your health. Deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress in the body as it focuses and clears your mind. When you breathe deeply, it sends a signal to your brain to calm down and relax. The brain then sends this signal to your body, making it feel like it does when you are already relaxed.
- Reduces Anxiety: Anxiety can be dangerous to your health and can cause many health problems and diseases. Practicing deep breathing helps clear every clog in your mind and gives you a focused life, and thus releases and relieves you from anxiety.
- Improves Blood Circulation: Deep breathing, done on a regular basis, increases and improves the oxygen delivery to the body organs. Try deep breathing right through your tummy to enhance the supply of oxygen to the body organs and it will help in the overall development of the system.
- Helps in Detoxification: Following the process of deep breathing on a regular basis helps in the detoxification of body organs. Deep breathing helps flush out the accumulated toxins from your body, thereby cleansing your body system.
- Promotes Overall Well-being: Deep breathing releases endorphines (the body's feel-good chemicals which are natural pain killers) into the system. It also relaxes muscles, a major cause of neck, back and stomach pains. Some studies have shown that deep breathing can also benefit asthma sufferers.
- Lowers Blood Pressure: According to a study published in the journal, The Lancet, cardiac patients who took 12 to 14 shallow breaths per minute (six breaths per minute is considered optimal) were more likely to have low levels of blood oxygen, which may impair skeletal muscle and metabolic function, and lead to muscle atrophy (decrease in the mass of the muscle) and exercise intolerance. Routine breathing exercises has been proved to reduce blood pressure.
- Helps in Improving Physical and Mental Health: Deep breathing raises levels of blood oxygen, promoting health in many ways - slowing your heart rate, improving circulation, lowering your blood pressure, and helping in digestion. This ultimately helps in improving your mental performance and energy.
- Relaxation of Bowels: studies have shown that deep breathing relaxes the bowels and helps in the proper movement of bowels. So if you are having troubles with your bowel movement then try taking deep breaths while you are on your toilet seat.
- Relieves Nervousness: Nervousness is a common feeling experienced by every other person. Sometimes nervousness can be to a great extent such that a person may find it extremely hard to even speak. In such occasions, deep breaths can be taken to overcome such fear. Just close your eyes and breath deeply for one or two minutes. Focus on your breathing, on your blood and the blood rushing through your veins.
How to Perform Deep Breathing Exercise?
To perform deep breathing exercise, sit up straight with shoulders relaxed and eyes closed. Make sure you are wearing loose clothes as tight-fitting pants or belts can interfere with the body's ability to intake air. Take a deep breath through your nose, expanding your belly. Hold your breath for a count of five and slowly exhale through your mouth. Repeat 10 to 15 times. You can place your hand on your stomach (just above the waist) to make sure that you are breathing properly. Your hand should move out and back in as you inhale and exhale. This means that you are using the lower part of your lungs.
How to Start?
- Devote some time every day for breathing exercise. Gradually increase the duration.
- Try doing it mostly when in relaxed state.
- Most importantly, do it on regular basis and see the magic benefits of deep breathing.
Deep breathing is a very easy health practice with numerous benefits. And it does not require any special machinery and it can be done as and when you please, right in the comfort of your home or even office. So start taking deep breaths for a healthy life style.
