The diaphragm is the most efficient muscle of breathing.
It is a large, dome-shaped muscle located at the base of the lungs. Your
abdominal muscles help move the diaphragm and give you more power to empty your
lungs. But faulty breathing patterns may prevent the diaphragm from working
effectively.
When this happens air often becomes trapped in the lungs,
pushing down on the diaphragm. The neck and chest muscles must then assume an
increased share of the work of breathing. This can leave the diaphragm weakened
and flattened, causing it to work less efficiently.
Diaphragmatic breathing is intended to help you use the
diaphragm correctly while breathing to:
Strengthen the diaphragm
Decrease the work of breathing
by slowing your breathing rate
Use less effort and energy to
breathe
Diaphragmatic breathing technique
1. Lie on your back on a flat
surface or in bed, with your knees bent and your head supported. You can
use a pillow under your knees to support your legs. Place one hand on
your upper chest and the other just below your rib cage. This will allow
you to feel your diaphragm move as you breathe.
2. Breathe in slowly through
your nose so that your stomach moves out against your hand. The hand on your
chest should remain still.
3. As you exhale let you stomach
fall back towards the spine. Start by counting an in breath for 3 seconds and
out breath for 3 seconds.
When you first learn the diaphragmatic breathing
technique, it may be easier for you to follow the instructions lying down, as
shown. As you gain more practice, you can try the diaphragmatic breathing
technique while sitting in a chair, as shown below.
To perform this exercise while sitting in a chair:
1. Sit comfortably, with your
knees bent and your shoulders, head and neck relaxed.
2. Place one hand on your upper
chest and the other just below your rib cage. This will allow you to feel your
diaphragm move as you breathe.
3. As you exhale, gently bring
the abdominals back towards the spine. The hand on your upper chest should
remain still.
Note: You may notice an increased effort will be
needed to use the diaphragm correctly. At first, you'll probably get tired
while doing this exercise. But keep at it, because with continued practice,
diaphragmatic breathing will become easy and automatic.
How often should I practice this exercise?
At first, practice this exercise 5-10 minutes before you go to bed. Gradually increase the amount of time you spend doing this exercise, to 3-4 x per day.
At first, practice this exercise 5-10 minutes before you go to bed. Gradually increase the amount of time you spend doing this exercise, to 3-4 x per day.
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