Tips to Breathing, Deeply

There are two methods of breathing, the unconscious shallow breathing that is done in the upper chest and the deep conscious breathing that is done deeply, filling the lungs with air and engaging the diaphragm.

All breathing fills the lungs with oxygen and carbon dioxide. Oxygen is beneficial and carbon dioxide is waste, unnecessary for a functioning body.

Shallow breathing

Most of us do this, because breathing is such an automatic thing, we take it for granted unless there is something medically wrong. It is something we don't even think about doing! It is not a conscious act, that the body just does.

Shallow breathing is done in the upper chest, taking little effort to do, just bringing in enough air -oxygen to support life but not to promote optimal health.

Everything breathes because every living thing needs air, and what air has in it to live.

Oxygen is necessary to sustain human life

Deep breathing

We need to learn how to do this, because it is not automatic. It has to be done consciously! We have to inhale and exhale differently. Deep breathing or diaphragmatic breathing is done by pulling air deeply into one's body where you can feel your stomach muscles being engaged in the movement.

You can literally place your hand on your belly and feel all of your organs moving up and down and your muscles tightening.

This needs to be taught. It needs to become an exercise in breathing to promote cellular health.

Caution, it is a good idea to sit or lay flat on your back, when you first start these exercises until your body becomes used to the new amounts of oxygen you are pulling into your lungs!

Nourishment for optimal health and regeneration.

• Oxygen to cells
• Relaxation
• Internal Organ Massage
• Mental Clarity
• Weight help
• Body repair
• Muscle tone

What are the benefits to changing the way you breathe?

They are endless.

• Mind
• Body
• Spirit

Something about having enough oxygen at one's cellular level nourishes everything about the human body.

There are reports about being energized. About creativity being increased. About just a sense of well being.

Oxygen is nourishment to our cells at their deepest level!

Deep breathing is beneficial to the body both physically, emotionally and spiritually. The effects last for hours and cause health to begin at the cellular level.

• Easy to do
• Easy to find time
• No equipment necessary

Takes only a few minutes to feel the results.

Just pumping your arms and legs for a few moments is beneficial. Taking stairs is a great way to get benefits in a short space of time, not to speak of the muscle tone.

Something as easy as deep breathing and static / squeezing your muscle exercises prove to be health promoting.

Lifting weights as small as a pound or two contribute to oxygen uses of your muscles at the cellular level.

Incorporating breathing techniques can and does help?

Finding several times a day where you can do this is vital to your overall well being. Incorporating your breathing exercises can happen any number of ways. Doing them for 10 or so minutes in the morning, just after you wake up and in the evening just before going to bed are two places to start.

Incorporating them in your exercise routine is also a great way to benefit from the physical activity even more.

• Aerobic exercise
• Stress reduction moments
• Relaxation moments

Some of the best exercises that promote deep breathing.

• Swimming
• Running
• Interval training

Basically any exercise that pushes you to exertion. Doctors love to recommend some sort of cardio.

• Inhale through your nose / nostrils.

Deeply inhale pulling in the air deep into your belly.

Your chest and stomach muscles should move up.

• Hold the air

For as long as you can.

• Exhale slowly through your open mouth

Mouth needs only to be slightly open.

Tongue should be out of the way behind teeth, at the bottom of mouth.

I find closing my eyes increases my focus, but it is not necessary.

When inhaling and exhaling - You can raise your head if that feels more comfortable.

The goal is to inhale as much oxygen as possible while releasing as much carbon dioxide as possible.

Warning when just starting out SIT! Some people have been known to get slightly dizzy because of the amount of oxygen entering their bodies.

Incorporating deep breathing like any other exercise is highly beneficial to one's optimal health.

There are no reasons for excuses because they can be done anywhere and at anytime, sitting or standing, and even laying flat on one's back.

They can be done in less than a minute depending on the methods you choose.

The benefits are notable and after the initial 'getting acclimated' period, they are as easy as shallow breathing.

The health benefits to our over all health and well being is well worth using them daily.