Unfortunately, today we use even less than half the capacity of our own lungs. As a result, we often feel tired and vulnerable. But do not despair: it is never too late to rebuild and start breathing correctly. AnySports will tell you where to start!
Correct breathing is extremely important for the normal functioning of the whole body, since the blood supply to organs and tissues depends on it, as well as how much oxygen is saturated in the blood. Most often, people use "costal" and "clavicular" breathing. In the first case, when inhaling, the chest "expands", in the second - the collarbones are slightly raised; only 20% of the lung volume is involved. Can you imagine how much oxygen the body does not receive? Typically, people with this type of breathing often experience headaches, drowsiness, and weakness.
“In everyday life, we don’t think about how we breathe. However, the usual is not always correct,”says Tatiana Savina, actress, TV presenter, teacher of stage speech at RUTI (GITIS), co-author of the Yoga. Golos project together with Anna Lunegova.
So what is the right way to breathe under certain circumstances? “It cannot be said that there is universal correct breathing. There are no uniform rules. For each purpose there is its own, most suitable type of breathing,”says Tatiana Savina.
Let's highlight the main breathing techniques that we use in everyday life, as well as during sports: deep, shallow, full, and also diaphragmatic.
- When deep breathing is performed, all parts of the chest or its individual parts expand as much as possible, and the lungs fully expand. With this type of breathing, during inhalation, the intercostal muscles and the diaphragm, the muscles of the back, and during exhalation, the abdominal muscles work. Often, when doing deep breathing, arms, legs, and the entire torso are used to increase inhalation or exhalation;
- With shallow breathing, the main respiratory muscles work little, as with restful sleep. Shallow breathing is usually performed while the muscles in the shoulder girdle and the rest of the body relax. This type of breathing is carried out by the abdominal muscles, while mainly the lower segments of the lungs are ventilated; _
- The entire volume of the lungs is activated only with full breathing, it combines the chest and diaphragmatic. At the same time, the entire respiratory apparatus begins to move, every muscle, every cell of the lungs begins to work;
- Diaphragmatic (abdominal) is breathing carried out with the help of the diaphragm - the muscle located between the abdominal and chest cavity.
“Diaphragmatic breathing is natural breathing, natural for humans. This is how we breathe during sleep, for example. When there is no unnecessary stress, both physical and mental. It is sometimes difficult to achieve such freedom in everyday life. But you can take control of the following action: release the abdominal muscles, relax the lower jaw and allow air to enter when the body needs it. In this case, the air will freely “fly” into the lower lobes of the lungs,”says Tatiana Savina.
As a teacher of stage speech, Tatiana reminds us of the importance of speech breathing. According to her, the respiratory muscles must be free and mobile enough to quickly respond to feelings and thoughts.
“Of course, breathing is supposed to be deep, diaphragmatic, but, most importantly, free. The initial impulse for speaking is thought. Accordingly, the breath that serves speaking is the breath that expresses a thought. Spontaneous thought, as a rule, is not rhythmic and proceeds at different speeds. This means that breathing during a conversation cannot be subordinated to a certain tempo-rhythm, - she explains.- The speaking process is a natural process. Accordingly, breathing should be natural”.
Breathing under stress
One of the most common consequences of stress is rapid, gusty breathing, which causes shortness of breath. Stress increases and can escalate into panic. Consciously working with breathing, you can bring yourself into a calm and harmonious state. To begin with, concentrate on breathing slowly and evenly. Many experts advise doing this with your belly rather than your upper chest.
Breathing like pain reliever
People who suffer from chronic pain can relieve their condition by using the diaphragmatic breathing technique. The exhalation must be carried out with the mouth, it must be longer than the inhalation carried out by the nose. This technique will not relieve pain, but it will become easier to perceive.
Breath for weight loss
A person who breathes in "deeply" significantly increases the saturation of the body's cells with oxygen, accelerating the metabolic process. Experts advise taking a deep breath several times after each meal, then holding your breath for a short time and breathing out slowly. There is a harmonization of metabolic processes, which in combination with other methods - physical activity and proper nutrition - will help you lose weight faster.
Breathing to normalize sleep
If you suffer from insomnia, yoga and Pilates exercises can help. Lie on your back, exhale slowly, pushing out the air with the diaphragm. Then you need to quickly, but not abruptly, inhale through your nose, filling your lungs to capacity. Hold your breath, being careful not to tense your neck and shoulder muscles, then exhale through your mouth. You should feel the stomach stick to your back. Repeat the exercise several times, then relax your abdominal muscles and breathe calmly for a minute.
Among other things, proper breathing helps to strengthen the immune system and increase the body's defenses.
If you decide to improve your health with the help of proper breathing techniques, first consult with your doctors and seek professional trainers. Also, do not try to immediately reconfigure your body. First, learn to monitor how you breathe.
