Sprout’s Guide to Diaphragmatic Breathing
Breathing! We all do it, but do we all breathe correctly? Diaphragmatic breathing isn't necessarily the right way to breathe, but it does offer a host of physical and psychological benefits! Those in my New Moon Relaxation class earlier this month got a brief lesson, but let’s dig a little deeper into this topic.
What is Diaphragmatic Breathing?
Diaphragmatic (die-uh-fruh-mat-ic) breathing is a technique that uses the diaphragm to take full breaths and increase the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Whether or not you’re familiar with this technique, you knew how to do it at some point! Diaphragmatic breathing is something we’re all born doing. Over time, we often get out of the habit of using our diaphragm and instead take shallow chest breaths.
It’s worth relearning diaphragmatic breathing, and there are a host of benefits we’ll discuss below. First, though, let’s talk about what the diaphragm is!
The Diaphragm
We often think of the lungs as our primary breathing tool, but our diaphragm is a vital part of the system too.
The diaphragm is a muscle that sits right below the lungs and right above the stomach. It is dome-shaped and is considered the major muscle of respiration.
As we inhale, the diaphragm contracts and sinks down, creating space for our lungs to expand in the chest cavity. As we inhale, the diaphragm relaxes and takes up more space in the chest cavity, pushing air out of the lungs.
Besides helping us breathe, the increased pressure in our abdominal cavity caused by the diaphragm can help us expel waste from our bodies.
The respiratory benefits of this muscle are what we’re focused on here!
Benefits of Deep Breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing has benefits for both our physical and our mental health.
This study on the benefits of a diaphragmatic breathing relaxation training program found a reduction in anxiety, heart rate, and breathing rate over an 8-week training period.
Hopkins Medicine includes other benefits such as:
Lowering blood pressure
Improving core stability
Decreasing levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body
Improving exercise tolerance
Diaphragmatic breathing is also a tool used for those with IBS and other gastrointestinal diseases. When I was teaching a stretching class that emphasized digestion, diaphragmatic breathing and diaphragm manipulation were important concepts we highlighted to get the most out of our stretches.
Though it might take a little time to get back into the habit of this breathing technique, the benefits are well worth the effort!
Practice Yourself
The easiest way to practice diaphragm breathing is lying on your back. Start with your back on the ground, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor. Place one hand on your upper chest and the other on your stomach, just below your ribcage.
Breathe in slowly through your nose and picture the air filling up your stomach. The hand below your ribcage should move up and down, while the hand on your upper chest should remain still.
Exhale slowly through your mouth with pursed lips, and think about pulling your stomach down toward your spine. Again, there should be movement in your lower hand but not the hand on your upper chest.
If lying down isn’t working for you, you can also practice this technique while sitting and standing. To help maintain a slow, steady rhythm, try counting as you inhale and exhale (inhale one…two…three…).
Practice for 5-10 minutes, ideally a few times a day. As you relearn how to use and engage your diaphragm, this exercise might be difficult. However, as you practice, the movement becomes natural, so stick with it!
Photo by Darius Bashar on Unsplash