Breathing is the most underrated thing while getting calm, and fighting anxiety, depression. Just being attentive to your breathing, and how to slowly and steadily take control over it can benefit you in numerous ways. It not only helps you in reducing stress but also getting peace of mind, and a better lung state.
If you will start meditating, the first and foremost thing they’ll teach you is to trek your breathing. It’s just that some breathing exercises show an immediate effect, relief. And some take time to show results. Doing Breathing exercises regularly can help you in the long run, and also help in developing a healthy routine for yourself.
Below, are some of the best breathing exercises for your respiratory system:
Pursed lip breathing:
Pursed lip breathing is considered one of the best breathing exercises for people. It’s a part of pulmonary rehabilitation.
Breathing exercises are specially made for people having a chronic disease, breathing problems like asthma. The disease ultimately weakens the lungs and makes it harder for a person to breathe.
Staple air, consuming space in the lungs, makes it hard for diaphragms to work. Pursed lip breathing eases this process of the diaphragm to work properly. It helps in supplying more oxygen to the body. When you do pursed-lip breathing, it opens the lungs for longer than usual resulting in more oxygen in the body. You have to follow a few simple tips in pursed-lip breathing like breathing through the nose and breathing out through the mouth with pursed lips. Try to take longer pauses than usual when you take the breath out rather than taking the breath in.
Diaphragmatic breathing:
For any type of stress, anxiety, and lung infection, diaphragmatic breathing is best. It’s a part of pulmonary rehabilitation. Also known as belly breathing, diaphragmatic breathing helps in better functioning of the lungs.
As the name suggests, it is made for the diaphragm, and also Majorly uses the diaphragm while exercising but if there’s a slight issue in the proper working of the diaphragm. Then it will automatically use the other parts of the body like the back, chest, neck. It uses residual oxygen. While exercising, diaphragmatic breathing. One has to relax the neck, shoulders, to make the diaphragm work better. Studies have shown that being on diaphragmatic breathing exercises has helped people to feel the oxygen in their lungs fully.
To practice diaphragmatic breathing, A person has to put their hands over their belly, breathe till their belly rises, breathing must be done through the nose, and not the mouth. When you exhale, use your mouth, twice if needed.
Mindful breathing:
Mindful breathing, from the name itself, means it would one way or another contribute to calming your mind. Basically for reducing stress, anxiety, and whatnot. There isn’t any specific organ included or technique to follow mindful breathing, one just has to concentrate fully on their breath. Once you do that, about the rhythm of how your breathing process works, there is no going back. Because of the way you feel, the calmness it brings to your mind.
You must do mindful breathing in a calm ambiance, there must not be any distractions around you. Choose a habitual place instead, where you can feel yourself, and don’t feel any pressure to do something. Start with relaxing your mind completely and slowly but steadily focusing on your breathing. Even if you are observing thoughts, then you must let them flow throughout the exercise.
Breath focus technique:
This breathing exercise focuses on chanting particular phrases, words. You might have heard about the power of meditation if you’re not living under a rock right now. While deep breathing, your whole soul’s focus must be on those phrases. Any phrase that brings out happiness within you, or even makes you feel light weighted. Or it’s not compulsory to feel good about every phrase you think about, but still, you shouldn’t ever feel negative about any particular word, or phrase you’re thinking about. If not positive, it should be a neutral one.
Start breathing, at least for 5-10 minutes. Try to focus on the pattern of your breathing. Sometimes low, sometimes deep, and otherwise normal, static. When you do this, gradually you will see a difference in between them, of how your body reacts during both. If you don’t feel any changes in your abdomen while breathing. Then, try to touch your belly with your hand while taking deep breaths, and you will feel the difference for sure.
Try to chant the phrase you thought of, initially. Loud and clear. Try to do it multiple times. With each breath, you must think of inhaling positivity and exhaling toxicity.
Lion’s breathing:
Lion’s breathing, also known as simasana in Sanskrit. It’s a yogic breathing technique, where the whole focus is on the chest and face.
While doing so, you have to be in a comfortable position. You can either sit while crossing your legs or sit back on your heels.
Relax your hand, palm and spread your finger. Inhale with eyes opened. While inhaling, open your mouth wide, take out your tongue and move down toward your chin. focus on our throat muscles while exhaling. There must be a “ha” sound releasing. To do it in a much better way, try to focus on the area between the center of your eyebrows and above your nose. Practice this exercise 3-4 times.
Box breathing:
People often do box breathing to boost their concentration or to relieve stress. The ultimate goal of breathing exercises is to slow down breathing and focus more on the pattern of breathing. To get the best results, you should sit in a straight position. Sitting straight during box breathing makes you feel better.
You must fill the lungs with oxygen through your nose. Hold the breath, till the count of 4. When it does, breathe out slowly, and exhale completely. After waiting for a good 2 seconds of rest for you and your lungs. Breath again.
