6 Benefits of Breathing Exercises

Health

Breathing is one of our body’s most natural essential needs, and we have known this fact precisely since we were young. The principle is simple: inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide. Nothing is more accessible than this.

However, practising regular breathing exercises can turn out to be very beneficial. Yoga, meditation, and relaxation are perfect ways to do breathing exercises.

Have a look at 6 benefits of breathing exercises.

Reduce stress and anxiety

One of the best benefits of breathing exercises is to reduce stress and anxiety. Indeed, they have a direct impact on the nervous system. This part is responsible for the unconscious functions of the body, especially how the brain handles and reacts to stress and anxiety. Your brain directly acts upon this part of the nervous system by taking a tremendous or deep breath. It slows the cardiac rhythm and controls the secretion of cortisol hormones directly related to stress and anxiety.

Take time to practice breathing exercises to reduce stress and anxiety gradually.

Lower blood pressure

Another benefit is lowering blood pressure. When it’s high, blood pressure can become highly hurtful to your health. This common disease is characterized by more increased blood flow than normal pressures. However, breathing exercises are one of the best to lower blood pressure.

Indeed, when you breathe well, your muscle, controlled by your nervous system and brain, will relieve the stress. And as a matter of logic, blood pressure will progressively lower and return to normality.

Strengthen the immune system

As mentioned in the introduction, breathing is so natural that it’s a significant factor in improving your health and getting a healthy lifestyle.

One of the best benefits of breathing exercises is strengthening the immune system. Therefore, a maintained immune system means a body is more likely to combat diseases or viruses. Indeed, the immune system can lower inflammation which has a significant potential to get you sick.

Breathing exercises will strengthen your immune system and protect your health against diseases.

Improve sleep

Lying in bed, looking for desperate sleep. Therefore, do breathing exercises that will make you sleepy. Deep and long breathing exercises have a beneficial effect on relaxing and calming you down. Indeed, your mind focuses on your breathing, not any thoughts you may have in your bed. Like the benefit of stress and anxiety, breathing exercises slow down cardiac rhythm and help to put your whole body in a stage of sleep.

Related –> What it Means to be Healthy

Get better exercise performances

Practising a sport is good, but having great breathing is better. Breathing exercises are of kind activities that boost and improve exercise performance. As we’ve said in a previous post, breathing is essential, especially during exercise. When your body is moving and spending much energy, breathing will allow you to match your movements to your breathing. This effect creates harmony when practising exercises, and your performance will be far better.

Boost mental functions

Your brain’s functions are tightly linked with breathing. Without good breathing, it would be impossible to ensure the proper functioning of your brain and its functions. The control of your breath explains it. Deep and long breaths slow your heart rate and regulate your nervous system. This helps improve your mental functions, specifically your concentration, memory, thinking, etc.

Control your pain

There are main examples in which breathing can help control your pain. From exercise pain to chronic pain. Froom breathing during labour to breathing during childbirth. Concentrating on breathing allows for reducing muscle tension. Moreover, it also allows you to focus on breathing correctly. Thus, you’ll be able to not pay too much attention to whatever pain you’re experiencing.

Conclusion

Breathing exercises are incredibly beneficial to make you healthy and improve your health. It’s a potent tool for many reasons. Firstly, breathing exercises benefit your brain and its proper functioning. For instance, it can reduce stress and anxiety, boost mental functions and improve sleep. Breathing helps you relax and calm down. Moreover, breathing strengthens your immune system and lower blood pressure, and get better exercise performance.

So, take the time to do breathing exercises as soon as you need.

Relax. Breathe in and breathe out.

Sources and further readings

Draxe: https://draxe.com/health/treatments/breathing-exercises/

Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/health/diaphragmatic-breathing#benefits