Independent Breathing Techniques
Several breathing techniques can regulate your breath pattern, increase the capacity of your lungs, and lead to a relaxed state of mind. By integrating a breathing technique into your daily routine, you can relieve stress, ease pain, and gain many other powerful benefits.
Breathing is an Essential Life Force
It is the first thing we do when we enter this world and the last thing when we depart. In between, our bodies absorb roughly half a billion breaths.
Who hasn’t heard, said, or been told the following when experiencing stress, fear, or anger?
“Just take a deep breath and relax…”
Changing our breathing can have a direct effect on our state of mind.
Proper breathing can lead to focus and relaxation, and shallow breathing can cause stress. The way we move the lungs to take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide can significantly affect our health.
Types of Breathing Techniques
Anapanasati
Stillness Breathing
Abdominal breathing
Equal breathing
Square breathing
4-7-8 breathing
Numbered or labeled breathing
How to add breathing exercises to your day
Breathing exercises don’t have to take a lot of time out of your day. It’s just about setting aside some time to pay attention to your breathing. Here are a few ideas to get started:
Begin with just 5 minutes a day and increase your time as the exercise becomes easier and more comfortable.
If 5 minutes feels too long, start with just 2 minutes.
Practice multiple times a day. Schedule set times or practice conscious breathing as you feel the need.
Benefits of breathing exercises
Improves immunity
Breathing exercises increase the amount of oxygen in the body and increase the release of toxins with carbon dioxide. Increased oxygen in the cells and tissues makes them healthier and helps them perform better. Healthier and properly functioning organs improve the immune system of the body as well. Clean blood full of oxygen fights better against infectious bacteria and viruses.
Clams down anxiety
Psychologists have proven that deep breathing exercises can tackle anxiety attacks. Deep breathing helps bring the heart rate to normal and increases oxygen levels. Regular deep breathing will help in balancing the hormones releasing endorphins in the body.
Increases sleep quality
A deep breathing exercise that entails complete exhalation of the air out provides better sleep. Breathing detoxifies the body and signals it to calm down. A deep breathing exercise before bed can help even insomnia-suffering people.
Decreases toxicity of the body
Stress, eating habits, and shallow exhalation turn the body acidic, and with deep breathing, all the toxins are released turning the body to alkaline. It detoxifies the body. Deep breathing also helps in releasing the lymph around the body and removes strain from the body.
Improves the digestive system
Deep breathing increases oxygen in the digestive organs and they perform better in relieving any gastrointestinal issues, constipation, indigestion, etc. proper digestion keeps the body energetic and healthy.
Good for cardiovascular health
Breathing exercises will help strengthen the cardiovascular muscles and improve blood pressure. Regular deep breathing also decreases the chances of stroke. Deep breathing stimulates the vagus nerve which reduces the ‘fight or flight’ response.
Improves concentration and cognitive properties
Regular breathing exercises can improve focus and concentration. It also improves memory cognitive properties and brain functioning.
Makes the body and joints strong
Breathing exercises increase the oxygen level in the cells and it affects joints in a good way. It makes joints and muscles strong. It helps in reducing the strain of physical exercise and the chances of wearing the muscles down. The body’s ability to handle intense physical movement increases.
Source
‘The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults’, Xiao Ma, Zi-Qi Yue, Zhu-Qing Gong, Front Psychol. 2017; 8: 874, Published online 2017 Jun 6. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874.
‘Mindfulness with paced breathing reduces blood pressure’, Jacqueline Brennera, Suzanne Leblanc, Medical Hypotheses, Volume 142, September 2020, 109780
‘How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing’, Andrea Zaccaro, Andrea Piarulli, Front Hum Neurosci. 2018; 12: 353, Published online 2018 Sep 7. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353.
Slow and Deep Breathing Exercise (Pranayama) For a Stress-Free Life amongst Medical Students Singh S, Katwal B, Panta PP, E-ISSN: 2349-9788; P-ISSN: 2454-2237.
Relaxation techniques: Breath control helps quell errant stress response by Harward Health Medical School, https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/relaxation-techniques-breath-control-helps-quell-errant-stress-response
Effect of anapanasati meditation technique through electrophotonic imaging parameters. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4479888/
How Meditation Helps Your Immune System Do Its Job. https://chopra.com/articles/how-meditation-helps-your-immune-system-do-its-job
Meditation Shortens Migraines By 3 Hours. https://time.com/3340452/meditation-shortens-migraines/
Effect of anapanasati meditation on anxiety: a randomized control trial. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6894628/