Does anyone know how important it is to breathe qualitatively in the process of life, and indeed, how is it - qualitatively? This article will tell you how to properly use the diaphragm and muscles between the ribs, as well as the press, to get the most out of this, as well as tell you what is fraught with shallow breathing.
Where is the diaphragm located and what is its function?
Almost everyone knows that the diaphragm is the inspiration muscle, without which the entire breathing process is impossible. It is this muscle, which contracts, creates a breath, expanding the lower part of the chest, and relaxing, on the contrary, it compresses. To feel the work of this most important muscle, you just need to concentrate on the lower costal arch (you can additionally put your palms in this place) and take a slow volumetric breath, filling the lungs with air.
There will be a feeling that the stomach is bulging out and something inside is falling down, thanks to some pressure - this reduced diaphragm presses on the internal organs, trying to lower them lower. When you exhale, the stomach, on the contrary, will go a little inward, and the costal arch will rise due to the relaxation of the muscles of the diaphragm. That is, if this zone does not work at full strength, it means that breathing also becomes superficial, constrained. The amplitude of motion of the diaphragmatic zone in a calm state is 2-3 centimeters, and in a forced state (conscious action or a consequence of physical activity) - more than eight. Only these figures already make it clear how powerfully this muscle affects the state of the whole organism as a whole.
Why is it important to pay attention to her?
Those who are a little familiar with human anatomy know that the heart and lungs lie on top of the diaphragm, and below it are the liver, spleen, stomach and some part of the intestine. Thus, when moving in the process of breathing, this inconspicuous muscle is an excellent “massager” for internal organs, gently pressing on them in turn. Each deep and high-quality breath (contraction of the diaphragm) squeezes venous blood from the liver and spleen, giving an impulse to cleanse.
The diaphragm and intercostal muscles create active pressure on the lungs during expiration, stimulating a high-quality discharge of exhausted (and, therefore, contaminated by internal waste) air. The body naturally heals from within only through deep and conscious breathing: this does not require special procedures, pills, difficult exercises or simulators. Everything that is necessary for health, is already in every person.
If the aperture is pinched
The average lung capacity is 4 cubic liters, for opera singers and swimmers - up to five! The average person in the process of everyday life uses negligible: only 500-800 ml, which is the first reason for the development of such symptoms:
- Fast and increased fatigue as a result of insufficient oxygen supply to the blood.
- Due to the insufficient amplitude of movement of the muscles of the diaphragm, the venous outflow from the internal organs is disturbed, which leads to the formation of stagnant phenomena and, as a result, creates ideal conditions for the development of diseases.
- The deeper a person breathes, the more actively his brain is massaged: when you inhale, the gray matter of the brain expands, and when you exhale it contracts, stimulating not only blood saturation of all small areas, but also the work of neurons. As a result, a person simply becomes dumb, that is, he feels the inability of the mind to work.
This is not the whole list of all the problems that a surface-breathing individual may encounter, but even these three points give a significant impetus to rethinking one’s breathing habit.
How to breathe?
The best exercise to stimulate all the basic systems of the body and master the art of healing breathing is full yogic breathing, which provides a powerful stimulus for the active contraction of intercostal muscles and diaphragm, as well as stretching during breathing exercises.
What does that require?
- Sit with a straight back and a straightened chest, without a pronounced lumbar deflection. The position of the legs does not play any role.
- Start breathing by directing air into the lower part of the lungs - this can be monitored by the expanding volume of the abdomen and the feeling of fullness in the lower ribs.
- Then fill the middle section with air - distribute the ribs, the interscapular area to the sides (there will be a slight sensation of pressure in the ribs and raised shoulder blades).
- Finish the breath by filling the upper part of the lungs, which can be checked by slightly raised collarbones.
- The exhalation also starts from below: immediately empty the lower lobe, then the middle and finally the top. This is all one breathing cycle.
What you should pay attention to?
During full breathing, there should be no discomfort, pain in the chest, diaphragm muscle, or abdominal region, which often happens when a practitioner forces events and tries to do more than his body is ready for now. Also, the heartbeat should not be quickened, although a slight dizziness in the first stages of development may be - this is the reaction of the body to a large percentage of oxygen, unusual for it.