Photo Credit pilates-breathing stretching image by Leticia Wilson from Fotolia.com Performing breathing exercises is an important component to managing many types of chronic illness and stress. If you watch a baby breathe while he sleeps, you'll find that he breathes correctly by nature. As we get older and begin dealing with stress in life, our breathing becomes more shallow and rapid. By learning to breathe deeply, you take great strides in managing your health.
History
The benefits that breathing exercises can have on our health can be traced back to India over 5,000 years ago, when the practice of yoga originated. Initially a practice limited to the religious elite, eventually all people began to perform yoga. Researchers studied the effects of meditation and deep breathing on people while they were practicing yoga; over time, the benefits of breathing exercises became accepted. Today, many health care professionals--including physicians, physical therapists, nurses and psychologists--promote breathing exercises and their benefits.
Effects
Deep breathing exercises can be learned without practicing yoga, but all types of yoga teach the practice. Aside from yoga, many other popular meditation techniques teach the student to breathe consciously and deeply. Many meditation teachers and yogis believe that the key to the connection between the mind and body is the result of focusing the attention on the breath. By placing your attention on breathing, the belief is that you respond to external and internal events and connect the mind with the way the body is feeling. Scientists performed studies by monitoring the yogis while they were meditating or taking deep breaths, during which it was discovered that yogis could instantaneously control blood flow to different areas of the body and reduce their rate of respiration, heart rate and blood pressure.
Benefits
There are many benefits to practicing breathing exercises. Deep breathing calms the nervous system and the mind. It strengthens our lungs while conditioning the respiratory muscles to become more efficient at processing oxygen and delivering it throughout the body. Since breathing makes the lungs stronger, it is a beneficial technique in combating asthma and other respiratory conditions. Breathing exercises are frequently helpful in patients with Parkinson's disease because the illness causes a decrease in the capacity of the lungs. Practicing deep breathing at bedtime can also aid in lessening the symptoms of insomnia.
Insight
Lying down is the easiest way to practice deep breathing, and standing is the second easiest. Being in a seated position makes deep breathing difficult. When performing breathing exercises, you'll need to move the abdominal area, and the weight on the stomach is too great in a sitting position.
Considerations
Breathing correctly may feel strange at first. It is common to want to pull the stomach muscles in as we inhale. This actually inhibits our breathing by constricting the muscles. As you breathe in, you want your stomach to expand. This allows for the diaphragm muscle to drop, allowing the lungs to take in the inhaled air as it expands. Your stomach muscle should move inwards and relax as you inhale. This pushes up on the diaphragm muscle and compresses the lungs, allowing air to be released.
Breathing Techniques
Instead of reaching for a cup of coffee for an energy boost or to become more alert, try Stimulating Breathing instead. Inhale and exhale rapidly through your nose, keeping your mouth closed. Aim for three breaths in and out per second. Performing this exercise allows quick movement of the diaphragm. After one cycle, breathe normally. Limit this exercise to 15 seconds when first beginning, gradually increasing your breathing cycles by five seconds until you reach one full minute.
For relaxation breathing, inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Inhale for a count of four, then hold your breath for seven counts. When you exhale, exhale completely for a count of eight, during which you will make a very long "whoosh" noise. Repeat the relaxing breaths for a total of four cycles.
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