Diaphragmatic breathing is the most popular and effective type of breathing exercise. There are countless diaphragmatic breathing benefits on our physical and mental health. If you can do only the diaphragmatic breathing or deep breathing exercise, then lots of health problems can be minimized.
Few people ask that are the deep breathing and diaphragmatic breathing exercises are the same? Mostly, both type of breathing exercise is the same.
We are not doing deep breathing exercises properly. Even the majority of people don’t know how to take deep breathing.
Table of Contents
What is the diaphragm?
The diaphragm is a covering of the lung. In other words, the diaphragm membrane is a muscle that protects the lung.
Diaphragm located horizontally below the thoracic cavity and differentiate the thoracic cavity and abdominal cavity.
What is Diaphragmatic Breathing exercise?
Diaphragmatic breathing exercise is one of the types of breathing exercise. The belly is trying to expand during this type of breathing.
The main aim of diaphragmatic breathing is to strengthen the diaphragm muscle, which is very important for the breath. It is also known as belly breathing or abdominal breathing.
Here we will learn the diaphragmatic breathing benefits.
Diaphragmatic breathing benefits
1. Doing regular diaphragmatic breathing gives relaxation to the body. It decreases the stress responses of the body. It is the best relaxation technique for a stressful person.
When the stress responses increase, deep breathing exercises instantly lower the blood pressure level and reduce the pulse rate. It creates a feel-good factor in our mind & body and induces relaxation.
One of the main advantages of abdominal breathing is stress relief effectively.
2. Protect the body from the harmful stress hormones effect and relief mental tension. See How Stress Affects The Brain Seriously Everyday
3. It increases the vital capacity of the lungs. When the diaphragm contracts fully, more air enters into the lower lobe of the lungs.
4. Diaphragmatic breathing release mental tension and stress.
5. You will amaze to hear; it reliefs the headache instantly.
6. It lowers the cardiac rate. The tachycardia patient should do the diaphragmatic breathing regularly. Also, check 7 Days Cardiac Diet Meal Plan Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Ideas
7. It decreases the high blood pressure level.
8. It improves body flexibility. You can also try 3 Most Importance of Daily Exercise for Teenagers
9. Diaphragmatic breathing increases the reflex of the person. The stroke patient must do the breathing exercise to increases their reflex level.
10. It improves the oxygenation of the lungs. More fresh oxygen means fresher oxygenated blood. That means more oxygenation supply to the brain.
Healing of lungs
11. Deep breathing exercise promotes the healing of lungs. As there are a more vital capacity and more oxygen, it also works for cell repair and damage healing.
Detoxification happens as the waste material is cleaning from the lungs.
In COPD, shortness of breath (SOB) present because of less entry of oxygen in the lungs and weak diaphragm muscle.
It is necessary for smokers and COPD patients to do regular Diaphragmatic breathing to increase the vital capacity.
Deep breathing exercise reduces the carbon dioxide from the lungs, and it engages the diaphragm. So that diaphragm function fully.
Regular diaphragmatic breathing helpful for COPD patients.
12. One of the essential diaphragmatic breathing benefits is lowering the tachycardia. It keeps your heart healthy.
Diaphragmatic breathing increases the vital capacity and, at the same time, lowers the breath rate.
Lowering breath rate means your body expend laser energy, and the heart has to pump less. So, it reduces the chances of cardiac myopathy (the fatigue of cardiac muscle).
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Role of diaphragmatic breathing in reducing the stress and anxiety
One of the main advantages of abdominal breathing is stress relief effectively.
Stress and anxiety prevent the immune system from functioning at its full capacity. Stress may make you more susceptible to multiple advanced lifestyle disorders.
In long-term (chronic) stress, day-to-day worries may cause you to develop severe anxiety or depression. Several deep breathing techniques can help you reduce the symptoms of stress.
Diaphragmatic breathing technique –
Before doing deep breathing, keep in mind some basic things.
1. Sit in a calm and quiet place or lie on a flat surface.
2. Avoid any type of disturbances.
3. Your spine should be straight, and your hands should be relaxed.
4. Inhale through the nose slowly and deeply.
5. Hold for a while.
6. Slowly exhale through pursed lips mouth.
7. Repeat the breathing for ten times.
8. Keep in mind one inhalation and exhalation completes the breathing cycle. Try to do 5 to 6 breathing cycles in a minute.
9. Place one hand on your chest and another on the belly. Contract your abdominal muscles and breath slowly.
10. So that the diaphragm contracts and get the place to expand and move upwards fully.
The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique –
The 4-7-8 breathing technique is another type of deep breathing exercise. Here add count with the breathing. Count for four until you breathe.
Inhale for four seconds and then hold the breath and count for seven.
Slowly exhale through the mouth with the counting of 8. Press your hand on the stomach during the exhalation.
This type of breathing increases the focus and concentrates on better sleep. It is very much helpful for the insomnia patient to fall sleepy quickly.
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How many times can you do this exercise?
If you are a beginner, try to do for ten minutes 3 to 4 times a day. Slowly increase the time duration and breath-holding time.
Can Everyone do deep breathing exercises?
Yes, it is almost safe for everybody. From child to old, everyone can do the breathing exercises. It increases the oxygen supply to the brain and calms down our mind.
If you have any specific problem, consult with your physician, and follow the medical advice.
Breathing exercises in COVID-19.
Breathing exercise proves very much helpful for COVID patients.
The COVID virus generally affects the upper lobe of the lungs. The Decreases vital capacity and oxygen entry to the lungs.
In Covid-19, the respiratory muscle and other accessory muscles of the chest wall and thoracic cavity become weak.
So in COVID, the main aim is to increase the lungs’ vital capacity, improve oxygenation, and strengthen the chest wall muscle. Along with this, our focus should be to decrease the secretion from the upper chest.
We have seen significant improvement in lung function who have mild symptoms. The SPO2 level increases within two weeks. The lung function and strength of the respiratory muscles improves significantly.
If you need any specific protocol, feel free to contact us.
Summary
There are several diaphragmatic breathing benefits on physical, mental, and spiritual health. According to Havard medical school regular practicing, diaphragmatic breathing exercises improve our overall health and reduces stress.
Diaphragmatic breathing and pursed-lip breathing proves very much helpful in COVID patient according to the experts.