Stress is anything but healthy. An effective way to combat inner restlessness and tension is deep abdominal breathing, which most of us do not master. Here we will tell you why abdominal breathing is a stress killer and how you can learn it.
Whether meditation, regular exercise or a healthy diet – there are many ways and means to cope with stress . But just the right abdominal breathing can help us to be more relaxed. We breathe in and out 10,000 liters of air every day. As a rule, however, we breathe in far too shallowly and far too little into the abdomen.
The red blood cells absorb oxygen via the pulmonary alveoli, which then reaches the entire organism via the bloodstream. If it is supplied with too little oxygen, this automatically triggers an alarm condition in the body . To compensate for this lack of oxygen, the body automatically increases the respiratory rate and blood pressure. However, this increased breathing rate demands more energy from our body and is not without health consequences: We are more tired, cramped and more stressed. Diseases such as obesity , cardiovascular disorders and depression are also favored by this condition.
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Abdominal breathing supplies your body with more oxygen
Deeper abdominal breathing helps. It offers many health benefits: It ensures that we breathe more air and thus supply our body with more oxygen. This protects our cardiovascular system, protects our muscles and relaxes the entire body. Especially in stressful situations, you should consciously breathe into your stomach to calm down. Certain postures, such as sitting hunched over, make abdominal breathing difficult.
This is how deep abdominal breathing works
Most of the time, we only breathe into our stomachs when we sleep . In the first years of life as an infant and as a child it is completely different and we automatically breathe deeply into our stomach. As we age and experience more stress, the way we breathe changes.
To relearn and consciously use abdominal breathing, you should follow this exercise : Lie down and bend your legs slightly so that your feet are flat on the floor. In order to feel the breathing movements precisely, it is best to place a hand on your stomach. Breathe in deeply through your nose so that your stomach bulges upwards. As you exhale, it flattens out again. Do abdominal breathing for about two to three minutes. If you notice that you get dizzy after a few deep breaths, it’s because of the increased oxygen supply. The dizziness should subside quickly. Repeat this exercise regularly to gradually get used to abdominal breathing. Try to remind yourself regularly in everyday life to take deep breaths into your stomach.
