Deep breathing exercises and their benefits

Here are some of the well-known benefits of deep breathing exercises for the body:

• Helps to detox: There are several toxins that are flowing through the body at any given time. This could be because of polluted surroundings, contaminated water, processed foods, smoking, drinking alcohol or any other reason. Deep breathing exercises can help your body get rid of these toxins, as it helps to detox the blood flowing through your veins—something that shorter breaths cannot do as efficiently.
• Boosts oxygen levels: Breathing deeply helps the body take in large amounts of oxygen at a time, which in turn travels to the cells all across the body. This helps every system in the body to perform at its peak efficiency and helps in increasing your concentration and energy levels.
• Reduces stress: The body resorts to shallow or constricted breathing when it is put under physical or mental stress, which can have various manifestations such as anxiety or panic (read more: panic attack and disorder). Deep breathing techniques are often advised in these situations, as they pump more oxygen into the body which helps normalise the heartbeat, thus inducing a sense of calm.
  Taking shorter breaths, ideally into a paper bag that is held tightly around the nose and mouth, is only recommended in the case of hyperventilation when the amount of carbon dioxide in the body drops to such a level that it hampers the normal exchange of gases between our lungs and our blood.
• Improves respiratory system: The muscles in the lungs and the diaphragm require exercise. The diaphragm contracts and relaxes constantly to allow breathing, and deep breathing keeps these muscles functioning at their optimum level. Deep breathing exercises also help in regulating breathing difficulties, and manage illnesses such as asthma and symptoms such as shortness of breath by opening up the chest and relieving the tension in the muscles.
• Good for the heart: Breathing deeply is an exercise. Whether it is done on its own or with other exercises, it improves the functioning of the heart. If you can't exercise regularly for some reason or have underlying health issues stopping you from doing so, incorporating deep breathing techniques into your daily routine is still a good idea as they improve your cardiovascular function and allow the body to burn fat.
• Improves the digestive system: As mentioned earlier, deep breathing improves blood flow to every part of the body, which includes the digestive system. This helps in improving the digestive functions of the body and provides relief from conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or indigestion. These exercises also reduce the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and acid reflux by making the diaphragm stronger.
• Regulates weight: Shallow breathing burns glycogen instead of fat in the body. Deep breathing, by contrast, helps boost oxygen levels in the body, thereby helping you burn extra fat from different parts of the body.
• Other benefits: Deep breathing can alleviate pain from different parts of the body, help you sleep better, calm the mind, lower blood pressure and prove beneficial for the skin, helping you look youthful and healthy.

Breathing exercises are easy to do: They do not require any specialised environment or apparatus to perform. They can either be performed at the beginning or end of your day. Or you can do them multiple times in the course of the day. That said, it is a good idea to practise these exercises at the same time every day.

Deep breathing techniques can be performed anywhere, although it is beneficial to choose a place you really like—someplace in your home that you find comfortable and where you can sit or lie down without any disturbance. Try to wear comfortable and loose-fitting clothes during these exercises.

Here are some ways you can incorporate deep breathing exercises into your daily routine:

Hectic lifestyles and rising levels of stress can cause a person’s overall health to deteriorate. That is why leading an active lifestyle that combines eating healthy, regular exercise (including deep breathing exercises) and adequate sleep is good for a person’s well-being.

Deep breathing techniques are not only effective for the mind, but also for the body as they help you flush out the toxins as well as improving the blood and oxygen flow to different parts of the body. There are several breathing techniques to choose from. You can pick one that you like or practise several together; you can also do them independently or in tandem with other exercises.