Have you ever wondered how to breathe properly? As funny as the question may sound, most people actually don’t.
Finding a good breathing routine and incorporating breathing exercises into a daily habit can help people enjoy the positive effects of something so natural ad innate as the breath.
Follow this simple and quick guide on how to breathe better and thank us later!
How to breathe better?
Breathing involves the lungs, diaphragm, and intercostal muscles. When breathing in, the diaphragm contracts and increases the space in the rib cage, allowing the lungs to fill with oxygen. When breathing out, the diaphragm relaxes, and the internal intercostal muscle contracts, forcing the lungs to deflate.
Yet, for many people, the breath is too shallow, and doesn’t go through this process fully. To change that, check out the following guidelines on how to breathe better.
Breathe through the nose
The first thing you need to know o how to breathe is that breathing through the nose is better than through the mouth.
Your nose filters out dust particles, pollen, bacteria, and viruses while warming up and moistening incoming air. Try to breathe through your nose at all times. If it’s tricky, try to get there progressively over time by reducing the amount of time spent breathing through the mouth.
Expand your belly on each inhale
Have you ever seen children breathing? Their belly inflates like a balloon with each breath. But as adults, we have unfortunately lost this healthy habit. Therefore, you should try to perform diaphragmatic breaths whenever possible. This will help you to reduce oxygen intake, increase lung capacity, relax the body, improve blood circulation, release toxins, relieve stress, improve sleep quality and improve your overall health.
Adjust your sleeping position
Your body position can play an important role in whether you breathe properly during the night. Try lying down on your left side with your right arm resting across your stomach. This should help you get comfortable and avoid neck pain. Alternatively, you may find it helpful to lie down on your back with your arms above your chest. This position keeps your shoulders relaxed and prevents them from falling forward.
Work on your daily posture
Good posture allows your ribs to fully extend, which increases the range of motion on your front side, making breathing easier. By practicing good postural alignment, you’ll improve your breathing and help prevent back pain. You’ll also be able to move more freely throughout the day and feel more comfortable during physical activity. You’ll also be able to take deeper breaths, which makes life less stressful.
Practice breathing exercises
Breathing exercises are simple techniques that you can practice whenever and wherever you are. Here are some examples of breathing exercises:
- 4-7-8 breathing technique
- Box breathing
- alternate nostril breathing
- coordinated breathing
- Pursed lip breathing
Guided breathwork
If you’d like to be further guided on how to breathe properly, do not hesitate to join the Breath Masters family.