BREATHE BETTER

So many of the everyday things we do require us to relax-to take a deep breath before we do them. If you take a test, walk onto a stage, get medical work done, go into labor to deliver a baby, get mad about something, begin to have a panic attack, stop smoking, or have to deal with awful traffic, people always advise you to take a deep breath or use some kind of deep breathing exercise. The advice is excellent.

Most of us know that taking a few deep breaths relaxes us. Few of us practice it. Less than 10% of the population breathes efficiently.

Breath training is approved by the FDA and recognized as a treatment for hypertension. Studies show that it relieves anxiety, depression, pain and fatigue.

Many of the ancient arts that are now a big part of our everyday lives have a huge emphasis on proper breathing. Yoga and Pilates are breath dependant. as are the Martial Arts. Your performance in these things is enhanced noticeably if you carefully practice the proper breathing techniques.

Deep breathing can have many wonderful side effects. It can clear your mind making thought processes more logical. It fully oxygenates your body and makes your muscles work more efficiently. It can help refocus your mind and relieve pain. And it definitely relieves stress.

Small babies automatically breathe diaphragmatically. Their chests and stomachs expand when they inhale and relax and contract when they exhale. It's a skill we lose as the stress of day to day life takes over.

Under stress, we naturally begin shallow breathing. We take in less air and breathe in our upper chests. This does not get enough oxygen to our bodies and it doesn't allow the lungs to expel all of the carbon dioxide. Consequently, this allows the level of carbon dioxide to rise in our bloodstream.

This retained carbon dioxide puts the body into a mild state of alarm and encourages an adrenalin reaction that increases anxiety. You can't talk yourself out of being angry, stressed or depressed, but you can breathe it out of your system.

So, how do you do it? The best place to start is to simply be aware of your breathing. Focus totally on it for a few minutes. If your mind wanders, bring it back to the breathing. You can count 1-2-3-4 on the inhalation, slight pause, then 1-2-3-4-5 on the exhalation (it should be ever so slightly longer than the inhalation) to stay focused. Your posture is very important. Keep your spine in proper alignment. If you are slouched over, you compress your insides (including your diaphragm) and your breathing will be shallow.

Now to learn how to breathe diaphragmatically. Sit or stand (using good posture) and place your hands firmly and comfortably on your stomach. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, letting your stomach expand as much as possible. By placing your hands on your stomach, you can actually feel when you are breathing properly. When you've breathed in as much as possible, pause before exhaling.

With your hands on your stomach, exhale slowly through your mouth, pursing your lips as if you were going to whistle. By pursing your lips, you can control how fast you exhale and keep your airways open as long as possible. As you exhale, your stomach deflates, while the large muscle under your lungs (your diaphragm) expands. When your lungs feel empty, begin the inhale-exhale cycle again. When you are breathing diaphragmatically, more airways stay open (and able to take in more oxygen) for the next inhalation.

Best of all, deep breathing can be done anywhere, any time. Try to practice deep breathing for a few minutes three to four times a day and whenever you begin to feel tense.

Deep breathing is a powerful thing. It can relieve headaches, backaches, stomach aches, and sleeplessness and improve blood circulation. It allows blood pressure to return to normal and releases endorphins into the bloodstream. It's one of the best overall techniques for stress relief.

The Framingham Study, done by the National Institute of Health with thousands of participants over a 30-year period presents convincing evidence that the most significant factor in peak health and long life is how well you breathe.

Hi, my name is Sharron.  I am an eBay Power seller and have specialized in selling the Sports Breather online for the past 13 years. You can find a link to my online website on my About Me page. I hope you will find this guide useful and feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.

Please take a moment and vote on the helpfulness of this article. Thanks!