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Ancient Deep Breathing Techniques

You can consciously alter your breathing to help regulate blood pressure, circulation, heart rate, digestion and other bodily functions. According to the American Medical Student Association, short- and long-term physical and emotional health can be improved after learning how to employ the proper breathing techniques. Being mindful of your breathing can help energize your body and provide a calming influence which alleviates stress.

  1. Breathing and Stress

    • When under stress, your sympathetic service system can cause various physical responses. Increased perspiration, elevated heart rate, rapid and shallow breathing, and increased muscle tension are the physiological by products of emotional stress. These lead to muscle pain, high blood pressure and other maladies. By slowing and deepening the breath, you can influence your parasympathetic nervous system to reverse these symptoms.

    The Stimulating Breath

    • This technique is also referred to as the Bellows Breath. The goal of stimulating breath is to increase alertness and vital energy. Dr. Andrew Weil, MD, advises you to inhale and exhale quickly through your nose while your mouth remains closed. Keep the breaths short. Each second, aim for three in-and-out breath cycles. Don't perform the breathing exercise for more than 15 seconds on each try. Add five seconds each time you attempt the technique until you can perform the exercise for a full minute.

    Abdominal Breathing Technique

    • Place your right hand on your abdomen and your left hand on your chest. Take a deep breath in and note if your right hand raises higher than your left hand. If this is the case, your diaphragm is pulling air into the base of your lungs. Exhale through your mouth and breath in through your nose. Hold the in breath for a count of seven. Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of eight while gently contracting your abdominal muscles. Repeat a similar cycle with a goal of five deep breaths. Take one breath every 10 seconds.

    The 4-7-8 Exercise

    • Press your tongue's tip against the section of tissue behind your upper front teeth. Exhale through your mouth. Inhale through your nose to the count of four while keeping your mouth closed. Hold your breath for a count of seven, then exhale through your mouth to the count of eight. Repeat the exercise three more times.

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