Deep breathing is a powerful addition to a healthy lifestyle regimen

Have you ever been advised to take deep breaths to calm down in moments of panic, stress or anxiety? Or, maybe, you’ve passed by a yoga or meditation center where participants were focused on their deep breathing and wondered what the benefits may be.

Deep breathing is more than the normal breathing that occurs without conscious effort. It involves using your lower abdominal muscles to take slow, deep breaths through your nose and slowly exhaling through your mouth.

This intentional form of breathing helps your body take in more oxygen and activates the part of your nervous system responsible for relaxation and stress relief.

Deep breathing isn’t just for yogis or those seeking anger management; anyone can incorporate deep breathing practices into their daily life and reap the benefits, which extend beyond staying calm. Four additional ways deep breathing helps your body and mind stay healthy include:

Builds stronger lungs

Perhaps the most obvious organ that benefits from deep breathing is the lungs. Belly breathing, a type of deep breathing that utilizes the diaphragm — the area between your chest and abdomen — to inhale and exhale, can strengthen the lung muscles and help them release stale, trapped air.

When you breathe in, your lungs fill with a mixture of oxygen and other gases, and when you exhale, your lungs get rid of waste gas. However, for those with chronic pulmonary conditions, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the lung muscles may not function as well, resulting in the waste gas becoming trapped and stale air accumulating.

By practicing deep breathing exercises regularly, you can strengthen your lung muscles and, over time, eliminate stale air, creating room to take in more oxygen and help your body function more efficiently.

Lowers blood pressure

Along with the lungs, the cardiovascular system, which includes the heart and blood vessels, can also benefit from deep breathing. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke and heart attack, and studies have shown that deep breathing exercises may reduce blood pressure.

When you practice slow, deep breathing, it triggers your parasympathetic nervous system, which manages the body’s automated “rest and relaxation” actions. These actions include decreasing your heart rate and dilating your blood vessels, which help lower your blood pressure.

Reduces pain

Activating the rest and relaxation part of the nervous system through slow, deep and controlled breathing can also reduce pain. When the parasympathetic nervous system is activated, it reduces the pain signals that travel from nerves to the brain.

Reductions in pain can also be due to multiple factors involving the parasympathetic nervous system. This includes overall control of stress and emotions that can evoke pain.

Decreases stress and improves sleep

Of course, the practice of deep breathing is well known for its ability to reduce stress. The American Institute of Stress suggests that 20 to 30 minutes of deep breathing can reduce stress and anxiety. 

It goes back to activating the rest and relaxation part of your nervous system. As various parts of your body relax through deep breathing techniques, your mind and emotions begin to calm down.

Deep breathing techniques have also been shown to help regulate the production of melatonin, a hormone produced by the body that controls the sleep-wake cycle. Deep breathing’s ability to enhance melatonin production, along with its calming effects, may also lead to better sleep.

The physical and mental health benefits of proper deep breathing exercises are many. If you have an existing medical condition, talk with your doctor about whether deep breathing exercises are right for you. However, deep breathing is typically a great addition to a healthy lifestyle regimen and can be done anywhere and at any time of day.

Gary Phelps is the manager of pulmonary services at Sharp Grossmont Hospital.