YOU’VE BEEN BREATHING WRONG YOUR ENTIRE LIFE! SIGNS OF INCORRECT BREATHING AND HOW TO DO IT RIGHT

Improper breathing is bad for your health as healthy breathing patterns aid the body to keep a high metabolism rate and deliver oxygen to vital tissues.

Fast breathing and not breathing in sufficiently deep can increase the blood pH, which may lead to reducing the quantity of blood that gets to the brain and the muscles. This also means that this blood releases less oxygen.

Breathing also indicates the quality of the function of your core muscles. When you breath shallowly or too quickly, your diaphragmatic muscles are not active and do not stabilize your trunk. This contributes to poor posture, impairment of your physical or athletic coordination and makes your low back instable. All these irregularities raise the risk of injuries and reduce your potential for performance.

Do you breathe right?

Common signs of dysfunctional breathing patterns:

If you inhale with your chest, you are not breathing properly. If your chest moves when you inhale upwards or slightly forward, it means that you are engaging in shallow or upper chest breathing.

An indication of shallow breathing is the fact that your rib cage does not expand to the side when you breathe in.

If you breathe through your mouth, you do not breathe properly. Your mouth should be closed and you should breathe deep within your nasal cavity.

You may determine that your breathing is shallow and stressed if your upper neck, shoulder muscles and chest are tight.

If you yawn or sigh too often and if you often have the need to take a deep breath, your body probably does not have enough oxygen.

If your breath rate when you rest goes over 12 breaths per minute, it means that you breathe quickly and shallowly.

Poor diaphragmatic control can result in short and tight muscles, like the ones on the chest and on the front of your shoulders.

If you often hold your head or shoulders forward, it can indicate that your diaphragm is not activated when you breathe.

6 WAYS TO BREATHE CORRECTLY

1. BLOW UP BALLOONS

This is considered to be an exercise because it makes your diaphragm and the core muscles contract. It would be even better if you do the blowing of the balloons in a crunch, or in a sit up position on your back, having your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth and you will blow up the balloons.

TIGHTEN YOUR LIPS

Using your mouth, make a hole in the center of it, but make sure it is as small as possible, and breathe through it. This will prevent fast breathing. Try to inhale through your nose for 2-3 seconds and exhale slowly through your pursed mouth for 4- seconds. Practice this exercise once or twice daily, for nearly 3-5 minutes.

3. PERFORM PLANKING EXERCISES

Perform front and side plank and you will learn how to breathe the right way. Of course, you should inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.

4. CONTRACT YOUR ABS WHEN BREATHING

Start by wrapping your hands around your waistline and then push them slightly away and outwards as you exhale. This simple activity will help you learn how to use your abdominal muscles in order to improve your breathing. Your hands should be moving under the influence of the core muscles.

5. UPPER CHEST RESISTANCE

Lying on your back, put one hand on your upper chest. Press the hard bone in the middle of your chest and make sure you maintain that pressure while you breathe in and out. This method is going to help you breathe from deep within your stomach.

6. LOWER SHOULDER MOVEMENT

Sitting on a chair, support your arms and elbows using the chair arms. Breathe in through the nose and push down on the chair arms. Purse your lips and exhale through them, releasing the pressure on the arms of the chair. This exercise will help you stop raising your shoulders when you breathe, which is good, because it can contribute to upper chest breathing.

WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN BREATHING?

Stress, as well as spending too much time sitting with your stomach compressed makes you breathe out through your chest, which causes slowing of the nervous system, brain fog, and anxiety. The result of these states is chronic fatigue, insomnia, and even cancer.

WHAT TO DO WHEN BREATHING?

While you breathe, make sure your diaphragm is lowered and your intercostals are engaged. This increases the oxygen supply to the cells and the releasing of carbon dioxide from them. If you breathe properly, your heart rate is going to become steady and the too quick rising in an overwhelming situation is going to be prevented.

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