The Power of Breathing
[By: Hannah K.]
How many times has someone suggested taking a deep breath as a solution to one of your problems? It turns out there is scientific proof that this tactic can drastically improve your health. Practicing mindfulness while breathing has a big impact on the way you sleep, exercise and relax. Actively working on your breathing may feel unnatural at first but as soon as you try it, you will understand just how much of an impact it can make.
Breathing is directly connected to your heart rate so when you get stressed it takes a physical toll on your heart. Stress comes in many different forms but physiologically speaking, anxiety can lead to hyperventilation which can make those stressful moments last longer than they should. Before you get to that point, collect your thoughts and recognize that you have the power to change the way you are feeling. Deep breathing will calm you down and lower your heart rate in moments, the key is simply remembering to do it.
Not only can breathing calm you down in times of stress, but it can keep you focused and improve your workout too. It is more common than people realize to fall into bad breathing habits while working out. For example: breathing with your chest- incorporating muscles like your neck rather than your diaphragm- is a big no no. Instead, focus on breathing deeply- it should feel like you are breathing from your stomach. This will help avoid making other common mistakes like resorting to quick shallow breaths instead of lengthy, full ones. If your breaths are brief and quick you are causing your body to struggle more with less oxygen. Use your brain power to control your breaths and ensure proper depth. This way, you will be more likely to stay on track with your breathing pattern as well. It’s important to get into some sort of rhythm otherwise you’ll have trouble staying in the zone.
So remember, you want to avoid:
Chest breathing
Shallow breathing
Irregular breathing
Instead, you should aim for:
Deep breathing
Diaphragm breathing
Rhythmic breathing
With these techniques in mind, your workouts will last longer and your endurance will improve every time you exercise. Otherwise, you are straining parts of your body that you shouldn't be and ultimately weakening your breathing capabilities.
Since breathing comes as second nature to us we forget to focus on the techniques we are using for this simple yet essential part of life. Stop underestimating the impact breathing can make. Whether you are working out or freaking out, you can count on breathing to improve the situation.
Hannah Kealy is a senior at Florida State University majoring in Editing, Writing and Media. She is the Student Director of Marketing for Campus Recreation.