Deep Breathing Exercises Can Improve Your Life

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Deep Breathing Exercises Can Improve Your Life

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 by: Elizabeth Walling, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) The next time you feel angry, stressed or anxious, pay attention to your breathing. You may notice your breaths become short and shallow when you experience negative emotions. While this is a normal response to stressful conditions, poor breathing actually compounds the negative effects stress has on the body. On the other hand, practicing deep breathing exercises can help you recover from stress more quickly, which will improve the health of your mind and body.

When you experience negative emotions or physical pain, the body responds in a similar way every time. You may experience a rapid heartbeat, tightening muscles, dilated pupils and perspiration in addition to short, quick breaths. This is not just an instinctual reaction, but a habit the body has developed over time in response to stressful situations. Any time you feel a twinge of anger or anxiety coming on, the body starts pumping out the juices that fuel this response once again.

This kind of physical reaction is tied to health problems like cardiovascular disease, insomnia, hypertension (high blood pressure), indigestion, increased infections and autoimmune disease. It also contributes to depression, severe anxiety and other mental health issues.

Fortunately, you can reclaim your physical and mental health by practicing deep breathing exercises. These exercises can reverse your body's natural reaction to stressful conditions, which will help you manage negative emotions and physical pain more effectively. And the less your body undergoes this stressful physical reaction, the healthier you will be in both mind and body.

So, what exactly does deep breathing do for you? When you learn to take deep, slow breaths, your body reacts in many positive ways:

Your muscles relax. You'll find it's difficult to maintain a lot of physical tension when you are breathing properly.

Your blood pressure lowers. As your muscles let go of tension, your blood vessels dilate and your blood pressure can return to a normal level.

Endorphins are released. Deep breathing triggers the release of endorphins, which improves feelings of well-being and provides pain-relief.

Detoxification improves. Good breathing habits helps the lymphatic system function properly, which encourages the release of harmful toxins. This cleanses the body and allows it to direct its energy to the right places.

Oxygen delivery improves. When you breath deeply and you are relaxed, fresh oxygen pours into every cell in the body. This increases the functionality of every system in the body. You will also notice improved mental concentration and physical stamina.

Deep breathing exercises are very easy to do if you take the time to do them properly. Here is a basic routine that will help you learn the ropes of deep breathing:

1. Lie down in a comfortable, quiet place. Allow yourself to be free from distractions for at least 5-10 minutes.

2. Give yourself a moment to start relaxing your muscles. Find places that are holding tension and release it.

3. Inhale deeply, filling your lungs with air. Bring the air into your abdomen, not just your chest. Count slowly to five as you inhale.

4. Exhale deeply, emptying your lungs completely. Again, count slowly to five as you exhale. As you exhale, release tension from your muscles .

5. Continue to inhale and exhale deeply for several minutes, counting slowly to five each time. Concentrate on your breathing and counting. Let your mind take a break from distractions.

6. Repeat this routine at least once each day.

Tips:

- Place your hand on your abdomen to feel your way through the exercise. Your stomach should rise and fall noticeably while breathing.

- Some people find that white noise, relaxing music or the sound of rain is soothing and helps them relax for deep breathing exercises. Others find these distracting and prefer the quiet. Do some experimenting to find what helps you relax.

Sources:

http://www.womentowomen.com/fatigue...

http://www.healthmad.com/Health/Hea...

http://livebeyondstressandillness.b...

 

About the author

Elizabeth Walling is a freelance writer, specializing in articles about health and family nutrition. She is a strong believer in natural living as a way to improve health and prevent common illnesses.

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