BBreathing might seem like an easy thing to do; it is something all of us do every day. However, most people do not realise that breathing is a more complex process that incudes vital organs like the lungs and diaphragm. Breathing exercises can provide a lot of benefits for your physical, mental, and emotional health.
Benefits of breathing exercises
Several studies have shown that breathing exercises are capable of decreasing stress and anxiety. Studies have demonstrated that deep breathing and lengthening exhale help shifting the nervous system from sympathetic to parasympathetic function. This shift can benefit the cognitive and physiological aspects of anxiety. Other studies suggested that deep breathing can help with muscle relaxation. Deep breathing combined with muscle relaxation have lasting benefits on the nervous system. Besides the mental health benefits, breathing exercises are beneficial for the physical health. Studies have found that health conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and has helped people improve their respiratory function. Additionally, deep breathing has helped people improve their cognitive function and mental focus. It has been proven that people who practise breathing exercises are more able to concentrate and focus on their daily life.
Types of breathing exercises
Deep relaxation breathing
Deep relaxation breathing (DRB) is well-known type of breathing technique. Deep relaxation breathing involves taking a deep inhalation in order to expand the diaphragm and then a slow exhalation. DRB provides significant benefits to the mental and physical health and that is the reason that is widely used by health professionals in the public health sector. During normal breathing people do not use the full lung capacity and as a result they do not take the right amount of oxygen they need to stimulate the relaxation response. Square breathing is a famous type of deep relaxation breathing.
Holotropic breathwork
Holotropic breathwork is a type of therapeutic technique that help those practising it to heal emotionally and promotes personal growth. Holotropic breathing involves rapid breathing and evocative music that directs those practicing it to a non-ordinary state of consciousness. People who have practised it have reported experiencing their body in a different way and seeing things in more colourful and insightful way. The main purpose of holotropic breathwork is to bring menta and emotional healing and break through the mental problems.
Japanese breathing exercise (Senobi)
The Japanese breathing exercise or ‘’Senobi’’, is a well-known breathing technique that involves breathing and movement. During this breathing exercise, participants are asked to raise their hand and keep them up until they feel tired. Senobi uses a traditional type of stretch of ancient Japan, which involves stretching the back and neck muscles by keeping the arms, hands, and shoulders upright. Senobi is widely used as a weight loss method and studies have supported that it has been proven to be quite effective. It is believed that while practising Senobi, the skin temperature increases, and the brown fat cells are activated thus leading to fat burning.
Breathing is an important part of life and that is the reason most of us take it for granted. Though, breathing is not only about inhaling and exhaling, but it also has the ability to help us enhance many aspects of health and quality of life. Hopefully, this article will encourage you to start using your breath in a more beneficial way for you.