In times of stress or anxiety, we often forget to breath (or we overcompensate by hyperventilating). Deep breathing is one of the best ways to calm down and halt anxiety, but it also has a variety of other benefits. In this post, we will go over the benefits of deep breathing and a few breathing methods to get you started!
1. Natural Detoxification
The majority of toxins in our body are expelled through breathing5. Taking deep breaths helps to cleanse our systems and is the first step to improving your overall wellness. The more cleansed our systems are, the more energetic and healthier we feel.
2. Relaxation
Breathing helps us to relax. Focusing on taking deep diaphragmatic inhales and exhales slows the heart rate and relaxes muscles5. Deep breaths also lower blood pressure4, helping to relieve stress and improve our overall state of mind.
3. Improved Posture
Diaphragmatic breathing forces you to straighten your back and improve posture naturally3. Improved posture brings a variety of benefits, such as improved circulation, confidence, and the relief of back pain6.
4. Increased Energy
Deep breathing increases the amount of oxygen in our bodies1. Oxygen is a natural way to increase energy levels. A deep breathing session is a great way to have a mid-day pick-me-up or to energize before a workout.
5. Improved Cardiovascular Health
Deep breathing increases lung capacity and lower heart rate. Because of this, frequent deep breathing sessions will lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks5.
In order to breathe properly, it is encouraged to breathe from the diaphragm (imagine breathing in a way that expands your abdomen rather than your chest)4 5. This type of breathing is encouraged during yoga and meditation classes, as it is a cleansing breath that reduces stress4. The first few times that someone practices deep breathing can be a bit daunting. We’ve listed a couple of deep breathing methods below to help get you started.
1. Feel your breathing
a. Start by lying on your back and making a mental effort to relax all of your muscles.
b. Place one hand on your abdomen and one hand on your chest.
c. Inhale through your nose for 5-counts, feeling the hand on your abdomen rise with your breathing. Hold the breath for 2-counts.
d. Exhale through your mouth for 5-counts, feeling the hand on your abdomen lower again as the hand on your chest rises slightly with your breathing.
e. Repeat for 1 minute.
2. 16-count breathing
a. Start by sitting up straight and making a mental effort to relax all of your muscles.
b. Inhale through your nose for 7-counts, feeling your abdomen expand as you breath in.
c. Hold the breath for 2-counts before exhaling through your mouth slowly for 7-counts, feeling your abdomen collapse again.
d. Repeat for 2 minutes.
3. Nose breathing
a. Start by sitting up straight and making a mental effort to relax all of your muscles.
b. Make a fist with the three middle fingers on your right hand so that your thumb and pinky form a while.
c. Lift your hand to your nose, covering your right nostril with your left hand.
d. Inhale for 7-counts through your left nostril, keeping your right nostril covered. Hold the breath for 2-counts.
e. Remove your thumb from your right nostril and cover your left nostril with your pinky.
f. Exhale for 7-counts through your right nostril, keeping your left nostril covered.
g. Repeat for 2 minutes.
Written By: Lauren Corley
Sources:
1https://www.beautyepic.com/deep-breathing-benefits/
2https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-relief-breathing-techniques#1
4https://www.healthline.com/health/diaphragmatic-breathing
5https://www.consciouslifestylemag.com/benefits-of-breathing-deeply/
6https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/posture-benefits#1
