Unlocking the Benefits of Diaphragmatic Breathing

Andrea Nederveen, RMT - Registered Massage Therapist

Diaphragmatic breathing is also known as ‘belly breathing’. This type of breathing focuses on the muscles in your diaphragm, the large muscle below the lungs, instead of just the chest and accessory muscles. You bring air into your lungs, expand your chest all the way into your belly. This is slow, methodical breathing as it takes time to deeply inhale the air in and then release it all again.

Diaphragmatic breathing has some amazing physical benefits:

• Using the diaphragm allows the lungs to expand more fully resulting in more efficient breathing as well as relaxing your neck, shoulder and chest muscles.

• It naturally slows breathing, which can help prevent rapid, shallow breathing patterns that sometimes occur during stress or anxiety.

• Slower, deeper breathing may improve the carbon dioxide and oxygen balance, which in turn can reduce light headedness and hyperventilation.

• It can lower your heart rate during practice.

Diaphragmatic breathing encourages a ‘rest and digest’ state in the body which can counterbalance the body’s stress response. Often it is used in meditation as it is known to improve present awareness and concentration. This practice also helps you control your breath. When you do that, it can help with practical things like public speaking or singing and it can even increase your endurance with exercise.

Over all, it is a good practice to implement into your daily routine. When the body is trained to breath this way, it will improve your clarity of mind, the stress in the body and the mindfulness of the soul.