So, what are the benefits of doing deep abdominal breathing?
First of all, deep breathing can prevent and treat respiratory diseases.
Common respiratory diseases include chronic bronchitis, asthma and emphysema. The lungs of these patients are inelastic and dilated, which affects their vital capacity. Deep breathing can gradually increase muscle contraction, which is beneficial to the effective expansion of chest and lungs, enhance the vitality of intercostal muscles, and gradually restore their elasticity and vital capacity, thus achieving the purpose of treating and relieving diseases.
Secondly, deep breathing can also prevent and treat hypertension.
This is a method of deep breathing and lowering blood pressure tested by Professor Kitamura of Jichi Medical University in Japan. Its principle is that there are about 300 million small sacs called alveoli in human lungs. In the case of general breathing, only 80%-90% can work fully, and the remaining alveoli are in a state of waste. If you take a deep breath, you can make the remaining alveoli work. When the chest takes a deep breath, the alveoli located in the upper part of the lung are open; When you take a deep breath in your abdomen, the alveoli in the lower part of your lungs will also open. At work, all the alveoli are producing prostaglandin. By deep breathing, 80%-90% of the alveoli at work can produce more prostaglandin than before. In this way, more prostaglandin enters blood vessels, which dilates blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. Three times a day, each time 10 minutes will have an effect.
Thirdly, deep breathing can help people decompress and relieve insomnia symptoms.
When people actively adjust the depth and frequency of breathing, they can effectively relax nervous and relieve anxiety. Breathing exercises in yoga can relieve some neck pain caused by stress. People with insomnia can also use breathing to help them fall asleep. By reducing the breathing rhythm and breathing gently, the symptoms of insomnia can be alleviated.
Most importantly, deep breathing can promote health and longevity. Hill, an American scholar, pointed out in the article "Seeking vitality from breathing": "Controlled deep breathing exercises can make the brain eliminate fatigue as soon as possible, adjust the nervous system, and make people relaxed and comfortable. The reason why deep breathing has such a great effect is because the amount of gas inhaled and exhaled by a normal person is only 400 ml -500 ml, and the deepest breath can reach 3,500 ml for men and 2,500 ml for women, which is equivalent to 8 times of the usual inhalation. Life has gained a lot of energy. "
How to learn to breathe correctly
How can I learn to breathe correctly? There are two key points. One is to ease inhalation, that is, inhale evenly and slowly, inhale deeply as far as possible, so that the gas fills the alveoli. The second is to spit it out forcefully, so that all the waste can be discharged from the body and more gas can be exchanged. The most scientific breathing method is: "Breathe-stop (hold your breath 10-20 seconds)-breathe", which can enhance the excitability of parasympathetic nerves, increase the number of bowel sounds, be beneficial to digestion and absorption, and thus be beneficial to health and longevity.
Another advocated breathing method is the "total breathing method" based on deep and long abdominal breathing, which gradually makes the muscles such as lungs, ribs and diaphragm move to the maximum when breathing, so that the air fills the lungs. Although we should practice deliberately at first, the ultimate goal is to integrate into life, and all kinds of postures and movements are combined with breathing. This will better grasp the strength and rhythm of the body and improve efficiency. For example, when breathing and climbing a mountain, there will be no mountain symptoms such as headache; You can swing farther in golf. This breathing method can be practiced on buses, while walking, at work and in front of trees in parks. Especially in the face of sudden negative situations, breathing can adjust the body and mind in time and stabilize the mood.
In the fresh outdoor air, you can also take more deep breaths consciously. The specific method of breathing is to inhale slowly through the nostrils first. During inhalation, the chest will lift, the abdomen will bulge slowly, and then continue to inhale, so that the whole lung will be filled with air. At this time, the ribs will be raised and the chest will become bigger. This process usually takes 5- 10 seconds, then hold your breath for 5- 10 seconds, pause for 2-3 seconds, and start breathing again. Repeated practice will become the correct breathing method.
Long-term physical exercise can also improve breathing. For example, swimming can make people's vital capacity as high as 5000-7000 ml; It is much larger than the average person's 3000-4000ml；; Long-distance running has the most obvious improvement on the maximum oxygen uptake; Push-ups can improve the muscle capacity around the chest wall and increase the strength of the respiratory muscles.