You’ve probably heard many times that taking a deep breath might help you calm down when you’re having a panic attack or feeling stressed. Is this strategy truly beneficial?
Yes, but we mean breathing through the diaphragm when we say deep breathing (the large muscle just below the lungs). Your lungs expand, your diaphragm moves down, and your stomach expands as your lungs fill with air when you take a particularly deep breath.
This is not just a helpful technique for soothing tension, but studies has shown that it can also aid those with conditions like emphysema who have trouble breathing.
Find out more about: Skipping Breakfast Can Cause An Unpleasant Problem
Diaphragmatic breathing can instantly relax you. This technique is highly beneficial to sportsmen and runners since it allows them to take in a lot more oxygen during physical exercise, preventing dizziness and nausea.
If you are not sure if you have inhaled deeply enough, check this with this exercise:
Start by lying on the floor and putting a magazine on your stomach. Make sure you release all the air from your lungs by exhaling completely and then slowly lift the magazine by inhaling. Take five long, deep breaths. Exhale in the same way, counting from five to zero as the magazine gradually descends. You can also use your hand instead of a magazine.
