Diaphragmatic Breathing Techniques - From Shallow to Deep Breathe

Introduction

Diaphragmatic breathing is a deep breathing technique that helps to use the diaphragm muscle efficiently during breathing. It offers several benefits, such as reducing blood pressure and heart rate and improving relaxation. Several studies have shown that diaphragmatic breathing offers body relaxation and improves physical and mental health. In addition, it has an important implication for health promotion, and it is also considered the core component of Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) and yoga practice.

What Is Diaphragm?

The diaphragm is an essential respiratory muscle that plays a significant role in respiration. It is a dome-shaped skeletal muscle that is situated in the thoracic cavity below the lungs and the heart. The diaphragm muscle contracts during inspiration, allowing the chest cavity to expand. This expansion allows the inspired air to enter the lungs during inhalation. During exhalation, the diaphragm muscle relaxes and allows the air to move out of the lungs. The diaphragm muscle plays a significant role during the act of inspiration, while the abdominal muscles and the internal intercostal muscles contract during expiration.

What Is Diaphragmatic Breathing?

Diaphragmatic breathing is a deep breathing practice and is also called abdominal breathing or belly breathing. It is integrative body-mind training to deal with stress and improve mental health. This technique involves the contraction of the diaphragm, expansion of the abdomen, and deep inhalation and exhalation, which decreases respiratory frequency and increases the number of blood gases. This technique helps an individual to use the diaphragm muscle efficiently during breathing and helps strengthen the diaphragm, decreases the frequency of breathing by slowing the breathing rate, decreases the oxygen demand, and decreases the effort and energy required for breathing. During normal breathing, the lungs are not utilized efficiently, whereas diaphragmatic breathing allows a person to use the lungs efficiently.

How Is Diaphragmatic Breathing Performed?

The diaphragmatic breathing technique involves the following steps in a lying position.

• The person should lie back on a flat surface or in a bed, with the knees bent and the head supported. A pillow can be used under the knees to support the legs.

• The person should place one hand on the upper chest and the other just below the rib cage. This allows the person to feel the movement of the diaphragm during every breath.

• The person should breathe slowly through the nose so that the stomach moves out, causing the hand to rise. The hand should remain still on the chest.

• The stomach muscles should be tightened so that the stomach moves in, causing the hand to lower during exhalation through the pursued (puckered) lips, with the hand on the upper chest remaining as still as possible.

The diaphragmatic breathing technique involves the following steps n a sitting position.

• To perform this technique, the performer should sit comfortably on a chair with the knees bent and the head, neck, and shoulders relaxed.

• The performer should place one hand on the upper chest, and the other hand should be placed just below the rib cage to feel the diaphragm movement during each breath.

• The person should breathe slowly through the nose so that the stomach moves out against the hand.

• The stomach muscles should be tightened so that the stomach moves back in during exhalation through the pursued lips, with the hand on the upper chest remaining stable.

What Happens to the Diaphragm During Diaphragmatic Breathing?

During inspiration and expiration, the diaphragm and other respiratory muscles contract. The diaphragm plays an important role in inhalation. During inspiration, the diaphragm muscle contracts and allows expansion of the lungs to facilitate movement of the inspired air. The external intercostal muscles help the diaphragm to allow the filling of air in the lungs. In diaphragmatic breathing, the inspired air is drawn passing the bottom of the lungs, allowing the air to make full contact with the lowest part of the lungs, whereas, in normal breathing, the inspired air hardly reaches the lower part of the lungs, which in most situations contains blood due to the effect of gravity.

What Are the Benefits Associated With Diaphragmatic Breathing?

Diaphragmatic breathing offers various benefits to the body. It includes the following:

• Helps the body relax and protects the body from the harmful effects of the stress hormone cortisol.

• Helps overcome the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

• Improves muscle function and prevents strain during exercises.

• Lowers blood pressure and heart rate.

• Increases the oxygen levels in the blood.

• Improves the core strength and improves the stability of the core muscles.

• Improves the body’s ability to tolerate exercises in conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

In addition, diaphragmatic breathing helps in the following conditions:

Stress and Anxiety: Stress increases susceptibility to numerous conditions. Chronic stress can result in anxiety or depression. Diaphragmatic breathing may help reduce the effects of stress.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): COPD causes the lungs to lose their elasticity, compromising the movement of air in and out of the lungs. COPD also affects the efficiency of the diaphragm. Diaphragmatic breathing exercises specifically train the diaphragm and improve breathing.

Asthma: Asthma also causes the lungs to lose their elasticity over time, and the lungs do not get back to their original state during expiration. Diaphragmatic breathing exercises improve lung function and the ability to exchange gases through the lungs.

What Is the Significance of Diaphragmatic Breathing?

The diaphragmatic breathing technique offers various benefits to the body. It helps strengthen the diaphragm, improves the efficiency of the lungs, decreases oxygen demand, decreases the breathing rate, and reduces the energy required for breathing. It also improves physical and mental health. This technique fully engages the diaphragm muscle and helps the person breathe deeper and longer. Though it offers several benefits and improves a variety of conditions, it cannot replace other treatments or therapies recommended for managing the condition. It is a supportive therapy that offers several benefits for the whole body.

Conclusion

Diaphragmatic breathing is an integrative deep breathing technique that offers several benefits. It fully engages the diaphragm and improves the efficiency of the lungs. Practicing makes it easier to perform diaphragmatic breathing. It promotes relaxation and improves the overall health. However, individuals with conditions like asthma, COPD, or anxiety, should discuss with the healthcare provider to know if this breathing technique can be performed. A medical professional’s opinion is essential before starting this breathing technique to avoid adverse effects.