Health Secrets	UPDATED: Tuesday, March 14, 2006
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Rediscover Deep Breathing

Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Benefits Include Pain Relief

Deep Breathing Exercise

Lie (or sit) down in a comfortable position, on a comfortable surface.

Position one hand on your chest, another on your abdomen, just above your belly button. You are doing this initially to help you get used to the action of your breaths; the hand on the abdomen should rise higher than the one on your chest.

Exhale through your mouth, then take in a slow, deep breath through your nose. Imagine you are sucking in all the air in the room.

Try and hold that breath for a count of 7, but don’t worry if you can do less initially. (Don’t hold it longer.)

Gently contract your abdominal muscles to help you force the air out of your lungs and exhale through your mouth slowly. It should take you to a count of 8 to complete the exhalation.

Repeat four more times, for a total of 5 deep breaths.

Use the process once or twice a day.
By Anika Logan
Exclusive to THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

It is estimated the average older person only uses between one-third and one-half of their breathing capacity. Babies and children are natural deep breathers, breathing with their entire lungs and from deep down in the diaphragm (a muscle found in the lower abdomen). But somewhere along the way, most adults lose this ability, becoming shallow breathers.

Stress causes breathing to become more shallow and rapid. Poor posture also causes shallow breathing and older people are particularly at risk due to the spinal scrunching that can happen with osteoporosis. Bending and slouching causes internal organs to be cramped and thus ineffective.

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The good news is it’s relatively easy to relearn how to properly take in the average 20,000 breaths per day most of us need. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has found more people are turning to this technique: deep breathing is among the top five complementary and alternative health therapies.

The Benefits of Deep Breathing

There are two kinds of breathers: chest breathers and diaphragm breathers. Chest breathers are breathing irregularly, their air intake is laborious and often too fast and shallow.

Deep breathers are breathing first from their diaphragms, and also including muscles in the stomach, lower ribcage, and even lower back. Their breathing is more even and consistent, takes in more air, and brings it deeper into the lungs.

Among deep breathing’s specific benefits:

It doubles the oxygen supply to the brain and all of the body’s organs, allowing them to work more efficiently.
It helps to bring on a nervous system response known as the “relaxation response,” providing the body with a head-to-toe sense of relaxation.
It has been found to release endorphins, the body’s natural versions of pain-killing opioids. One study found deep breathing diminished all types of pain, including headaches, by as much as 40 percent.
It can reduce anxiety. Some people become more anxious and their blood pressure rises in a doctor’s office. One study taught deep breathing to people with high blood pressure and found their systolic pressure (the higher number) dropped by as much as 17 percent despite being in the doctor’s office.

Getting Started

As with any new exercise routine, check with your doctor before starting. You do not need an instructor, but it can help. Yoga and meditation classes are a good place to find qualified teachers.

You might also consider employing the buddy system. Teaming with someone can keep you motivated and make it easier to follow the exercise: one person reads it while the other does it.

Lying down to do your exercise may be a good idea for people age 62-plus. That’s because initially the increase of oxygen to your body may make you lightheaded. If that happens, just give your arms and hands a hearty shake to use up the extra oxygen and take a break, returning to regular breathing for a few minutes. Once you feel better, resume the deep breathing exercise.

There are many deep breathing exercises. We have included one that should be easy. Also check with your librarian for books and websites with further information.