Control your asthma with diaphragmatic breathing

Control your asthma with diaphragmatic breathing

What is the diaphragm? You often hear it associated with breathing and singing; Whether you do one or the other, the right way is from the diaphragm. If you've ever been pregnant, you've probably been told that your shortness of breath is caused by the bulge of your stomach pressing against your diaphragm. You can safely assume it's a body part somewhere along your stomach, but what exactly is it?

The diaphragm is a layer of muscle that sits beneath the lungs. When it is at rest and not contracting, it forms a dome, separating the chest from the abdomen. When it contracts, as when breathing, it lowers and the dome flattens toward the abdomen, pulling the lung bases down with it and opening the air sacs to take in air. The diaphragm is an essential part of correct breathing because it includes the bases of the lungs, which receive the most blood flow. The thing about good tissue oxygenation is that oxygen from the air you breathe is needed to diffuse into the blood vessels that pass through your lungs. Diaphragmatic breathing means that a good supply of air meets a good supply of blood.

When your diaphragm lowers, it puts pressure on the abdominal organs, which are mostly filled with fluid. Since fluid cannot be compressed, the abdomen has to shift somewhere to make room for the diaphragm. This is why the stomach walls move outward when you inhale during diaphragmatic breathing, which is understandably also known as abdominal or abdominal breathing.

Exhaling, on the other hand, is a relaxing movement that allows the diaphragm to return to its arched position in peace. It calms you down and relieves stress, hence the calming feeling of a sigh. Diaphragmatic breathing is the correct way to breathe. To check if you are doing it, see if your stomach rises as you breathe in and relaxes as you breathe out. When the opposite happens, what you are doing is paradoxical breathing.

When you breathe paradoxically, the neck, shoulder, and intercostal muscles have to put in more effort to maintain your breathing. While diaphragmatic breathing feels effortless, paradoxical breathing makes you tired and your chest hurts.

If you find that you are a paradoxical breather, you may need professional help to train your diaphragm. This is particularly important for asthmatics, as learning how to breathe properly can go a long way in controlling their disease. Physiotherapists often help asthma patients with abdominal breathing exercises, which allow them to relax and overcome an attack naturally.

Your body is designed to breathe diaphragmatically. Whether you are suffering from asthma or not, it would be good if you practice it for better health.

Inspired by Jesse C Martinez