~Breathing Exercises~

Breathing exercise -

Learn how to breathe completely
We breathe or die. We do it constantly by the end of our lives. Breathing exercise will help you to enjoy every breath and feel life. When I was a child, other children laughed at my belly, which moved while breathing and I kept wondering why only their chests moved when they breathed in. When we breathe in, the air should reach the diaphragm (an organ in the mid section of the body, where ribs end) so that it remains inside the body long enough to allow oxygen to be absorbed. The stretching of the diaphragm makes a natural massage to the abdomen.

 

To find out whether you breathe completely, lie down on the floor and make this breathing exercise:
Place your hand on the abdomen. If your hand goes up when you breathe in, it means you breathe completely. If it stands still, you should make a conscious effort to make the air you inhale lift the hand on your abdomen. Lie down for a few minutes, breathe calmly and try to make the hand on your abdomen rise every time you breathe in. You can do it while watching television or reading. Start by consciously concentrating on the way you breathe and if you are able to do it while watching television, it means you have reached the state of subconscious complete breathing.

Another breathing exercise:
As a next stage, try to consciously breathe abdominally while sitting or standing. Once again, place your hand on the abdomen and try to make it move up and down while breathing calmly. Concentrate on it; when you notice you are breathing abdominally while standing or watching television, it means it has become a part of your nature and you are fully enjoying every breath.

Breathing exercise rule
For physical activity your body needs more oxygen, i.e. you have to take in more air in deeper, controlled, conscious breaths. When I started exercising I used to make 10 repetitions at a single breathing in. I was in a hurry to finish the set before I was out of breath. I was not aware of doing it, until a friend joined me at the gym and noticed I was not breathing while making an exercise. It sounded odd and I began watching my breathing and tried to control it.

BREATHING EXERCISES

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source: http://cas.umkc.edu/casww/brethexr.htm

  A 20% reduction in oxygen blood levels may be caused by the aging process and normal breathing habits. Poor breathing robs energy and negatively affects mental alertness. Unless breathing is exercised, aging affects the respiratory system as follows:
  Stiffness: The rib cage and surrounding muscles get stiff causing inhalation to become more difficult. Less elasticity and weak muscles leave stale air in the tissues of the lungs and prevents fresh oxygen from reaching the blood stream.

  Rapid, Shallow Breathing: This type of breathing, often caused by poor posture and weak or stiff muscles, leads to poor oxygen supply, respiratory disease, sluggishness, or heart disease.

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BELLY BREATH EXERCISES
     The following exercises are simple ways to deepen breathing and to cleanse the lungs. These exercises will also increase energy and decrease tension.
  Lie flat on your back to get a proper sense of deep breathing. (Have some small pillows available to reduce strain by tucking them under the neck and knees. The natural course of breathing in that position will create a slight rise in the stomach upon inhaling and a slight fall upon exhaling.)
  Place your hands palm down on your stomach at the base of the rib cage. (The lungs go that far down. What fills them deeper is the pushing down of the diaphragm. The diaphragm creates a suction which draws air into the lungs. the air is then expelled when the diaphragm pushes up. In this process, the life-giving oxygen fills the lungs and gets into the blood stream for distribution to the cells. Carbon dioxide is expelled from the blood into the about-to-be exhaled breath, thus cleansing the body and blood of waste products.)   Lay the palms of your hands on your stomach just below the rib cage, middle fingers barely touching each other, and take a slow deep breath.  (As the diaphragm pushes down, the stomach will slightly expand causing the fingertips to separate somewhat.

  This movement indicates full use of the lungs, resulting in a truly deep breath rather than the "puffed chest" breath experienced by many as the greatest lung capacity. Chest breathing fills the middle and upper parts of the lungs. Belly breathing is the most efficient method. Infants and small children use only this method until the chest matures.

FOR BEST RESULTS, PRACTICE THIS EXERCISE FOR 5 MINUTES.

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COMPLETE BREATH EXERCISES
1. Sit up straight. Exhale.
2. Inhale and, at the same time, relax the belly muscles. Feel as though the belly is filling with air.

3. After filling the belly, keep inhaling. Fill up the middle of your chest. Feel your chest and rib cage expand.

4. Hold the breath in for a moment, then begin to exhale as slowly as possible.

5.  As the air is slowly let out, relax your chest and rib cage. Begin to pull your belly in to force out the remaining breath.

6. Close your eyes, and concentrate on your breathing.

7.  Relax your face and mind.

8.  Let everything go.

9.  Practice about 5 minutes.

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HUMMING BREATH EXERCISES
     Follow the instructions for inhaling the COMPLETE BREATH (Steps 1-3 above). Now, as you begin to slowly exhale, make a HUM sound. Keep making that humming sound as long as possible. Pull your stomach muscles in, squeezing out a few more seconds of humming. Then relax. Practice for 2 to 3 minutes.

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Learn to deep breath

Learn to deep breath..

In this day and age deep breathing exercises can help with weight loss, relaxation, and sense of well being. 

Most of us are not breathing properly by breathing air up into our chest. Look at yourself in the mirror. Your lungs hang all the way down toward the bottom of your rib cage. More than likely, you're not filling them up with the precious air they need. Most of us inflate just the upper portion.

Simply lay down totally flat on your bed, your couch, or floor. Relax for a second or two before taking a deep breath. Now breathe in deep through your nose. Push your belly up while taking the air inside. Stick your chin on your chest and watch your belly rise. When you've got as much air as you can hold, stop and hold your breath. Try holding it for ten or twenty second. Then breath out.

Try it a couple of more times. It gets easier each time, right? That's the beauty of re-training yourself to breathe properly and when you implement some easy breathing exercises you will feel the difference. Don't you feel relaxed and refreshed at the same time? Your body is saying thank you, thank you! Just that very tiny bit of deep breathing and your body feels better. An immediate reaction.

Keep practicing for 5 more minutes. Now sit up. Again, try to accomplish the same deep breath while sitting up. Sit up straight. Start breathing in through your nose -then slowly stick your chin on top of your chest and watch your belly inflate with air. This may be a little harder because you might unconsciously revert back to shallow breathing. You'll know that this is true if your belly isn't inflating and you feel all the air in your lungs high in your chest. Don't give up. Concentrate on inflating your belly. Once filled as much as possible, hold it for twenty seconds and release through your mouth. You must practice this technique a few times to get used to it.

(Compiled together from the net)