DEEP BREATHING: Here is why it is good for you

Deep breathing is something we know is not spoken about a lot.

It feels like one of those things vegans are up to and a complete waste of time.

And yet it is not.

But before we talk about its benefits, it is important to explain what it is.

By breathing deeply, you allow the diaphragm to drop downward, the rib cage to expand and create more space for the lungs to inflate.

While the average human lung capacity is about 6 litres, we use much much less. This comes from unlearning the breathing we had as babies into a shallow breathing often caused by bad lifestyle habits, poor posture and more.

By mastering the art of deep breathing, increased oxygen floods into the body, eventually helping the heart pace to slow down to create feelings of calmness and relaxation.

But what are the benefits? Let’s go through them quickly.

1. Improves respiratory system: By releasing tension in the diaphragm and primary breathing muscles, you reduce long term issues such as asthma and breathlessness.
2. Calms you down: If you watched Bad Boys 2, you will remember Woosa Woosa. Your nervous system is essentially brought to a relaxed state. That is when you have an issue that is causing you anxiety you are told to ‘breathe’.
3. Strengthens your lymphatic system: Deep breathing can play an important role in protecting the body from bacteria, viruses and other threats to our health.
4. Releases muscle tension: Stress often comes with pain, like in your shoulders and other muscle areas. And in stressful situations our breathing becomes shallow. Deep breathing counteracts this.
5. Improves your cardiovascular system: Deep diaphragmatic breathing tones, massages and increases circulation to the heart, liver, brain and reproductive organs. 
6. Elevates digestive system: The benefits of deeper breathing include increased blood flow in the digestive tract, which encourages intestinal action and improves overall digestion, alleviating irritable bowel syndrome and constipation.
7. Alters mind state: The quality of our breath helps to relax the mind and enhance the ability to learn, focus, concentrate and memorize. 
8. Keeps you looking young: Breathing deeply slows the aging process by increasing secretion of anti-aging hormones!

Now breathe in. Breathe out.

For a quick one minute deep breathing exercise, click here

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