What Are The Five Physiological Benefits Belly Breathing Offered By Belly Breathing?

The fact is that humans have the ability to live without food for three weeks, without water for three days & without oxygen for just three minutes. Our survival depends upon our breathing. However, ancient yogis have suggested that breath is the mantra to vitality. Pranayama is a yogic breathing practice which allows us to control our physiology. ‘Belly Breathing’s is one such basic technology to perform this.

About Belly Breathing

It is among the most basic of all pranaymas performed and is often referred to as ‘yogic breathing’. Does this technique involve breathing into the belly region? The answer is ‘No’. Breathing in this method is done into your lungs.

While breathing into the belly, the diaphragm movement causes the belly to move in & out from abdomino-pelvic cavity. This technique is also known as ‘diaphragmatic breathing’.

Some benefits derived from diaphragmatic or belly breathing

• Alleviates pain: As people get stressed, they do report increase pain flares. Stress response increase is associated with chronic pain. Using this breathing technique, it is possible to get relief from pain quickly & to reduce long term flares.
• Improves efficient respiratory system functioning: As we get older, we are suggested to suck in & squeeze the belly. Tight clothes worn only restrict our breathing. Many get trained unintentionally in diaphragmatic breathing method. Poor breathing habits lead to inefficient gas exchange, meaning our cells do not get essential nutrients as deemed necessary. Unsatisfied cells only causes brain fog & lethargy in short term, thus leading to long term health issues. Belly breathing can increase natural vitality and overall well being.
• Improves posture: You need to sit tall to perform this breathing technique. It allows efficient functioning of your organ systems. You can digest food easily, blood vessels & nerves get pinched less, heart pumps efficiently and more hormones are released making you more confident.
• Stimulates relaxation response: It switches on parasympathetic nervous system, while turning off overactive sympathetic nervous system. Autonomic nervous system can be accessed by deep breaths, which automatically makes the food to digest more effortlessly and heart to beat better. It becomes possible to reduce stress related conditions such as depression, sleep disorders, digestive disorders heart disease, etc. and calm anxiety by developing the ability to select relaxation response instead of stress response. Relaxation response can be initiated by practicing diaphragmatic, deep breaths by taking elongated exhales. Place both hands close to your diaphragm and lower ribs above the belly button and take five deep breaths. It should comprise of 6 second exhale and 3 second inhale. You can feel movement below your hands.
• Gently tone & stretch core muscles and the pelvic floor: Core muscles comprises of the erector back muscles, abdominals, pelvic floor and the diaphragm. As we breathe, the natural 3D body movement ensures healthy muscles in the specific region.

Having efficient & properly functioning systems, is sure to make you feel more focused & confident. You can start practicing, diaphragmatic, deep breathing or belly breathing few times in the day. Your body is sure to enjoy myriads of benefits that come with this technique.