Breathing exercises are very beneficial for health. Even though we take thousands of breaths spontaneously every day, there are certain breathing techniques that can help improve the function of the body’s organs, including the brain and blood vessels.
Some breathing techniques that you can practice include deep breathing, wait breathuntil pursed lip breathing.
Benefits of breathing exercises for health
Why does breathing need to be practiced even though we breathe spontaneously every day? The answer is, because the breathing technique in question is different from normal breathing.
Practicing special breathing techniques such as deep breathing, pursed lip breathing, and diaphragmatic breathing are very good for physical and mental health. When you breathe with the correct technique, your body will work more optimally. In more detail, here are the benefits of breathing exercises that you can get:
- Reduce stress levels.
- Stabilizes heart rate
- Lowers blood pressure.
- Calming the mind.
- Makes the body stronger during heavy physical activity.
Differences between Chest and Abdominal Breathing
There are various breathing exercise techniques that you can try
There are many breathing exercise techniques that you can do, such as the following:
1. Pursed lip breathing
Technique pursed lip breathing is a simple breathing exercise done by exhaling through pursed lips and breathing in through the nose with the mouth closed.
This breathing technique may be very useful for making longer breaths when doing activities such as bending, lifting, or climbing stairs.
You can practice breathing techniques pursed lip breathing 4 to 5 times a day as follows:
- Neck and shoulders are relaxed.
- Close your lips and inhale slowly through your nose for a count of two.
- Cone lips as if to whistle.
- Exhale from your mouth for a count of four.
2. Diaphragmatic breathing exercises
Diaphragmatic breathing or abdominal breathing is a breathing exercise that is useful for reducing stress, managing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), treating eating disorders, constipation, lowering blood pressure and heart rate, relieving migraines, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
You can practice abdominal breathing techniques for 5 to 10 minutes 3-4 times a day, in the following way:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your head supported by a pillow.
- Place one hand on your upper chest and the other under your breastbone (upper abdomen) to feel the movement of your diaphragm.
- Slowly inhale through your nose and exhale through pursed lips.
- Feel the movement of the diaphragm and try to keep the upper chest still while you practice this breathing exercise.
3. Pernapasan singa (simhasana)
If you are familiar with yoga, perhaps doing the lion’s breathing technique or simhasana is no longer difficult. Lion’s breath is a yogic breathing exercise that is known to relieve tension in the chest and face.
The correct way to do lion breathing is as follows:
- Sit in the most comfortable position, you can cross-legged or cross-legged.
- Press your palms to your knees with your fingers spread over your knees.
- Take a deep breath while opening your eyes wide.
- At the same time, open your mouth and stick your tongue down as if to lick your chin.
- Exhale through your mouth while making a long ‘haa’ sound.
This is the correct way to breathe and is good for health
4. Stari breath
Sitali breath is a breathing technique that is usually used in yoga. Regularly doing Sitali breathing exercises can help lower body temperature and make the mind more relaxed, you know.
Because this breathing technique is practiced by inhaling through the mouth, make sure your room is free from dust and other air pollution.
How to do Sitali breathing exercises is as follows:
- Choose a comfortable sitting position.
- Stick out your tongue.
- Fold the tongue so that the two outer sides of the tongue meet in the middle. You can purse your lips so that your tongue is in a rolled position.
- Inhale through your mouth and exhale through your nose.
5. Deep breathing
Deep breathing techniques are one method that you can try if you have a lot of thoughts or worries. By practicing this breathing, anxiety can be prevented and energy in the body is not wasted as much. Deep breathing techniques will teach you to breathe deeper into your stomach.
The correct way to do deep breathing is as follows:
- In a standing or sitting position, pull both elbows back slightly so that the chest expands more.
- Inhale deeply through your nose.
- Hold your breath for a count of five.
- Exhale slowly through your nose.
7 Stress Reducing Breathing Exercises that You Can Choose
6. Humming bee breath (bhramari)
Humming bee breath or bee breathing exercise is one of the yoga breathing techniques that many people like, because it is useful for relieving stress, anxiety, and is a good medium for channeling anger.
Research shows this breathing technique can help reduce your heart rate and make you think more clearly, so you don’t feel irritated or stressed easily.
When you breathe, you will make sounds that can channel your emotions. So, make sure to do this breathing technique in a place that doesn’t disturb other people.
Here’s how to do the breathing technique humming bee breath yours sincerely:
- Sit in the most comfortable position.
- Close your eyes and try to keep your facial muscles relaxed.
- Put the pointer on tragus cartilage aka the small cartilage in front of the ear canal.
- Inhale.
- When exhaling through your nose, press tragus cartilage with the index finger.
- With closed lips, make a mumbling sound as long as possible as you exhale.
7. Resonant breathing
Resonant breathing also known as coherent breathing. When doing this, you need to take 5 full breaths per minute. This means that you inhale and exhale on a count of 5.
Breathing at this rate can be beneficial for maximizing heart rate variability (HRV), reducing stress, and reducing symptoms of depression when combined with Iyengar yoga.
How to do the resonant breathing technique is as follows:
- Inhale for a count of five.
- Exhale for a count of five.
- Do this breathing pattern for a few minutes.
These are some breathing exercise techniques that you can try. If you are interested, you can take the time to do breathing exercises for five minutes every day.
The duration of breathing exercises can be extended if you become more accustomed and find it easier to breathe with the chosen breathing exercise technique. You can also practice these breathing techniques if at any time you feel the need to relax or calm your mind.
