Mastering proper breathing
Having improved the respiratory function with the help of physical exercises, exposure, contrasting air procedures and air baths, you can proceed to the most important healing respiratory process - mastering proper breathing.
To breathe properly means to breathe deeply and fully. Deep and full breathing is hindered by the condition of the skin, diaphragm and capillaries. Having eliminated the causes that hinder deep and full breathing, you should proceed to mastering the techniques of deep and full breathing.
First, let's consider how the human respiratory system is arranged.
The mechanics of breathing consist of elastic movements of the lungs and in elastic movements of the sides and bottom of the chest, in which the lungs are located. The chest - the part of the human body between the neck and the abdominal cavity - is mostly occupied by the lungs and heart. It is bounded by the spine, ribs, sternum, and below by the diaphragm. It can be compared to a conical box closed on all sides, the cone of which is directed upwards, the back side is formed by the spinal column, the front by the sternum, and the sides by the ribs.
There are twenty-four ribs in total, twelve on each side. They come from the spine, and the seven upper pairs are connected in front to the sternum, while the five lower ones are called "false ribs", and of these, only the two upper pairs are connected to the sternum by cartilage, and the three lower ones have no cartilage, and their ends are free. The ribs are set in motion by a number of superficial muscles called intercostal muscles.
When breathing, the muscles stretch the lungs so that a void is formed in them, into which, according to the well-known law of physics, air is directed. In the process of breathing, everything depends on the so-called "respiratory muscles." Without their help, the lungs cannot move. Successful control of these muscles consists in the ability to expand the lungs as much as possible in order to capture the greatest amount of life-giving air into the chest.
Indian yogis have studied the "science of breathing" well and have used many ways to make breathing deep and full.
Yogi breathing exercises
Yogis distinguish four main ways of breathing: upper breathing, middle breathing, lower breathing, full yogi breathing. The first way is undesirable for a person who wants to be healthy. The second is better, but still not good enough. The third is acceptable, but not ideal. The entire science of yogis about breathing is built on the fourth way. Let's briefly consider the first three ways, and pay more attention to the fourth.
Upper breathing - this way of breathing is known in the West by the name of clavicular breathing. The breath, expanding the ribs, raises the collarbone and shoulders, at the same time compressing the intestines and pressing them on the diaphragm, which in response also tenses, swelling. In this case, only the upper part of the lungs is used - the smallest in size, and therefore only a smaller part of the air enters the lungs than it could. In addition, the diaphragm, moving upwards, does not have enough freedom and space for its movement. An anatomical study of the chest cavity will convince anyone that this way of breathing, with the greatest effort, gives the least useful result. Upper breathing is perhaps the worst kind of breathing. It wastes energy and is poor in results. It is this way of breathing that is most widespread in the West. This is how women and singers, preachers, lawyers and all those who, it would seem, should know better than others, breathe. Many diseases of the voice and respiratory organs are caused by this barbaric way of breathing because of the strain it puts on organs that are so delicate in their structure. A hoarse, unpleasant voice is a frequent result of such breathing. Upper breathing is characteristic of people with the bad habit of breathing with their mouths open.
If you doubt the correctness of what has been said, you can check it on your own experience: having exhaled all the air from your chest, stand up straight, lowering your arms calmly to your sides, and then inhale, raising your shoulders and collarbones. In this way, anyone can be sure that the amount of air inhaled will be much less than normal. Then, having inhaled with a full chest with your shoulders and collarbones lowered, you will receive visual confirmation that this way of breathing is much better than upper breathing.
Middle breathing - this method of breathing is known in the West under the name of costal or intercostal breathing and, although less bad than upper breathing, is much inferior in results to the full breathing of the yogis. With middle breathing, the diaphragm presses upwards and the intestines are drawn in. The ribs are slightly pushed apart, and the chest expands accordingly. Since two better methods can be indicated, we will proceed directly to them.
Lower breathing - this type of breathing is much better, and in the West many even consider it a full-fledged deep breath. For yogis, this form of breathing is only part of the system that has been known to them for many centuries and is called by them "full breathing".
With the lower breath, the lungs have more freedom of action than with the upper and middle breath, and accordingly they can absorb more air. But in the end, the upper breath fills only the upper part of the lungs with air, the middle breath - only the middle and part of the upper, and the lower - the middle and lower. Obviously, the method of breathing that fills the entire space of the lungs with air is preferable to each of these three, because it enables the lungs to absorb from the air the greatest amount of prana, the vital energy, spread throughout the world and absorbed directly by the person. The best of all is the "full breath" of the yogis.
The full breath of the yogis combines all the good sides of the upper, middle and lower breath, without their shortcomings. It gives movement to the entire respiratory apparatus of the lungs, every cell of them, every muscle of the respiratory system. The maximum benefit is obtained with a minimum of energy expenditure. The thoracic cavity expands in all directions, and every part of its respiratory mechanism works to the full extent of its capabilities. One of the most important features of this method of breathing is that all the muscles of the respiratory apparatus are in action, while in other forms of breathing some of the muscles do not move at all. With a full breath, all the muscles of the upper, middle and lower parts of the chest and the diaphragm work simultaneously, which gives the best results. A full breath does not at all mean completely filling the lungs with air with each inhalation. You can inhale an average amount of air, adhering to the method of full breath, but distribute this large or small amount of air correctly throughout the entire volume of the lungs. It must be said that a full breath is not something artificial and abnormal. On the contrary, it is a direct return to nature. A savage close to nature or a primitive man and a healthy child of civilized peoples breathe exactly like this - a full breath. But a civilized person, getting used to an abnormal lifestyle, abnormal clothing, abnormal food, loses a normal full breath. The following simple exercise will help you understand what a full breath is.
Exercise "full breath of yogis"
Starting position: stand or sit straight.
Inhaling air through the nostrils, take a slow breath, filling the lower part of the lungs, which is achieved by the action of the diaphragm, which, descending, presses gently on the abdominal cavity.
Forcing the front wall of the abdomen to move forward, fill the middle part of the lungs with air, pushing apart the lower (false) ribs, the sternum and the entire chest.
Then fill the upper part of the lungs with air, expanding the top of the chest and pushing apart the upper six pairs of ribs.
Finally, pull in the lower part of the abdomen, which will provide support for the lungs and allow the upper part to fill with air. At first glance, it may seem to you that this breath consists of three separate movements. However, this is not true. Inhalation is a single movement that raises the entire chest in the specified sequence, from the lowered diaphragm, which, to the very top ribs and collarbones. Avoid jerks in breathing and try to make it a smooth, slow movement. You should accustom yourself to take a full inhalation for 2 seconds. Having taken a breath, hold your breath for a few seconds. Then exhale slowly, keeping the chest still straightened and gradually releasing the stomach, as the air leaves the lungs. When all the air has left the lungs, release the tension in the chest and abdomen. A little practice will make this entire movement easy for you, and once mastered, it will then become automatic.
With this method of breathing, all parts of the respiratory apparatus are set in motion, and all parts of the lungs work down to the most remote of their cells. The chest expands in all directions. You should notice that a full breath is really a combination of the lower, middle, and upper breaths, which flow out quickly one after the other so that one general, integral, full breath is formed. Having mastered the full breath, you will no longer want to return to your current breath.
Such breathing greatly improves the quality of the blood, which depends on how saturated it is with oxygen, purifies the blood from impurities and restores its proper composition. Since the entire organism, all its parts and organs depend for their nutrition on blood, impure blood has a bad effect on the entire organism. And an excellent remedy for poisoning the organism with bad blood is the full breath of the yogis.
Yogis have several types of full breathing that are widely used for different purposes. Here are some of them.
Exercise "revitalizing the nerves"
This exercise restores strength to a tired person. The goal is to improve the activity of the nervous system, develop nervous strength, and fill the body with vital energy.
Starting position: stand up straight, inhale a full breath and hold it.
Stretch your arms forward, relaxing your muscles as much as possible and leaving only enough tension in them to keep them in an extended position.
Slowly bend your arms, pulling your fists up to your shoulders, gradually squeezing your muscles and putting force into them so that your fists are tightly clenched and you feel a tremor in the muscles of your hands.
As before, keeping your muscles tense, slowly open your clenched fists and then quickly clench them.
Repeat this movement several times. Exhale the air forcefully through your mouth. Take a cleansing breath.
Exercise "stimulating blood circulation"
Starting position: stand up straight, take a full breath and hold it.
Lean forward slightly and take a stick or cane in your hands. Squeeze the stick firmly at both ends, gradually putting all your strength into the hands that squeezed it.
Release the stick and straighten up, slowly exhaling the air.
Repeat this several times. Finish with a cleansing breath.
This exercise can be performed without the help of a stick, just imagining it, but putting all your strength into the imaginary squeezing of the stick with your hands. This exercise allows arterial blood to flow to the extremities, and venous blood to the heart and lungs, that is, it allows the body to receive more oxygen and get rid of waste blood particles. In cases of poor circulation, there may not be enough blood in the lungs to absorb the increased amount of oxygen from the inhaled air, and then the whole body will not receive the proper benefit from the improved breathing. In such cases, it is especially useful to practice this exercise, alternating it with proper full breathing.
Exercises to improve blood supply to the brain.
Breath holding, as strange as it may seem, helps improve cerebral circulation. From time to time, you need to do this to clean the blood that enters the brain and make it circulate more actively. Perform a simple experiment. You need to sit in front of a mirror and hold your breath as long as possible. After a while, your face will turn red and you will feel blood pulsating in your temples. At the first signs of such phenomena, you should stop the experiment and start breathing normally. This experience suggests that holding your breath makes the blood in the brain circulate more actively. If you also do physical exercises while holding your breath, a certain vibration of all tissues, media and substances begins in the brain area - you can learn about the benefits of vibration for improving the work of capillaries from the article "Exercises for revitalizing capillaries".
Exercise "breath hold"
Starting position: basic stance, breathe with a medium or lower breath.
On inhalation, hold your breath and measure how many seconds you can hold your breath for as long as possible. After that, rest for 5 minutes.
Divide the resulting number of seconds of the maximum possible breath hold for you by 2 - this will be the duration of the therapeutic breath hold that you will practice initially.
After resting, hold your breath again for the number of seconds that you got as a result of dividing the maximum possible hold for you by 2. Rest for 5 minutes.
Then hold your breath again for the number of seconds that you got, plus another 2 seconds.
After resting, increase the breath hold by another 2 seconds. So gradually you need to bring the breath hold to the maximum possible value that you got initially.
The next day, repeat the same thing, but bring the maximum hold to your original maximum plus 1 second. The next day - plus 2 seconds. There is no need to increase the hold duration further. Continue to do the exercise daily, maintaining the hold duration. And then - according to your well-being. If desired, you can achieve more and more breath holding time. The maximum value - 120 seconds (2 minutes) - will indicate that the body is healthy, the blood is purified and the cerebral circulation is normalized.
From the practice of breath holding, you can move on to the practice of breath holding in combination with physical exercises.
Exercise "breath holding during physical exertion"
Starting position: basic stance, inhale and pinch the nostrils with the pads of the thumbs. In this way, a breath hold is created.
Then, bending the torso parallel to the floor, bend the legs in the hip and knee joints with a held breath as many times as possible.
After taking a breath, you should repeat the exercise at least 5 times. During the day, you should perform this exercise three times before eating.
Daily classes on this system will ensure full blood supply to the brain, while strengthening the vessels of all parts of the cardiovascular system.
The essence and significance of breathing for the body. The composition of air
Breathing is an integral feature of life. The respiratory system is an important system of the body. It provides continuous gas exchange between the body and the external environment. It is especially important to understand the physiological processes that occur in the body during breathing at low and high pressure.
The respiratory system unites the organs in which gas exchange takes place between the blood and the external environment.
The great Russian physiologist I.M. Sechenov emphasized that “an organism without an environment that supports its existence cannot exist” between the body and the environment there is a constant exchange of substances. The body receives oxygen and nutrients from the environment. Thanks to them, new cells are built, organs function and work, for example, muscles.
At the same time, harmful decay products, excess substances and heat are released into the environment.
The body is affected by various natural factors: fluctuations in air temperature, humidity, solar radiation levels, rain, snowfall, storms, hurricanes, fires, earthquakes. With minor changes in the conditions of existence, the body rebuilds its functions - adapts to new conditions. For example, when the air temperature rises, the breathing process, heart rate, and sweating increase. The body receives more heat from the environment and gives it away more. At the same time, the body temperature remains relatively constant.
Breathing is the most vivid and reassuring expression of life. “Not breathing”, “stopped breathing” are well-known expressions that mean that life has stopped. The oxidation of organic substances - carbohydrates, fats - forms the basis of life processes in the body. The energy released in this process goes to ensure all body functions. Oxidation processes include the need for oxygen and the formation of carbon dioxide. Therefore, the life of an organism without oxygen is impossible - this is the essence of the breathing process. This occurs with the simultaneous participation of the physiological systems of blood, circulation, and respiration.
So, respiration is the process of gas exchange between a living organism and the environment. If breathing stops, metabolism also stops, which leads to death.
The respiratory process includes the following stages:
1. External respiration - ventilation of the lungs, that is, filling the lungs with atmospheric air and removing atmospheric air to the outside, but in a different composition.
2. Gas exchange between the alveoli of the lungs and the blood that bathes them: oxygen passes from the alveolar air into the blood, and carbon dioxide from the blood into the alveolar air.
3. Gas transfer by the blood: oxygen from the lungs to all tissues of the body, and carbon dioxide in the opposite direction.
4. Gas exchange between blood and body tissues: it takes place in tissue capillaries and consists in the transfer of oxygen from blood to tissues, and carbon dioxide from tissues to blood.
5. Cellular respiration (at the cellular level) - internal respiration is the main link in the respiratory process. It consists in the oxidation of a number of substances, as a result of which energy is released.
Air is inhaled, exhaled and alveolar. The composition of atmospheric air is characterized by its usual constancy; it contains 20.93-30.94% oxygen, 0.03-0.04% carbon dioxide and 79.02-79.04% nitrogen and inert gases.
There is also always a certain amount of water vapor in the air.
Exhaled air constantly contains from 15.5 to 18% oxygen and from 2.5 to 5% carbon dioxide. Exhaled air is saturated with water vapor and has a temperature of 35-370. If you collect the exhaled air in successive portions in glass receivers of 50 ml, then the air leaving the lungs in one exhalation will be placed in 10-12 receivers. Analysis shows that in the first 2-3 portions, collected at the beginning of exhalation, the composition of the air is the same as in the atmosphere. In the following portions, there is more and more carbon dioxide and less and less oxygen, and in the last 5-6 samples in the air that came out of the lungs by the end of exhalation, there is about 5.5% carbon dioxide, and only 14% oxygen. The difference in the composition of the first and last portions of exhaled air is explained by the fact that exhaled air contains not only the air that fills the alveoli and participates in gas exchange with the blood, called alveolar air, but also the air of the so-called “harmful space”.
The air that fills the mouth, nose, pharynx, trachea, bronchi and bronchioles does not give oxygen to the blood and does not accept carbon dioxide, since gas exchange between the blood and air does not pass through the thick, relatively capillary-poor walls of the airways. This means that the air that is in the airways does not participate in gas exchange and therefore the airway space is called the harmful space. Some heating of the air takes place in it and the volume of the so-called “harmful space” is approximately 150 ml (from 120 to 180 ml). The volume of air that reaches the alveoli with each breath is less than the volume of respiratory air by the amount of harmful space. This indicates that with frequent but shallow breathing, the amount of air that passes through the pulmonary alveoli (alveolar ventilation) is less than with more rare but deep breathing. Frequent but shallow breathing can lead to insufficient oxygen supply to the body.
So, to maintain the respiratory system in a normal state, the correct organization of life, hardening, compliance with the rest regime, and nutrition are important. Physical labor, physical education and sports also have a beneficial effect on the work of the respiratory system. And also, we must beware of various bad habits that cause great harm to the entire body, and especially to the respiratory organs.
Proper breathing and exhalation cures various diseases
There is no life without breathing, to breathe means to live. It is known that you can live for some time without food, even harder - without water, but only a few minutes - without air.
And it is important that not only life itself is connected with breathing, but also its duration, health, and even beauty. Agree that wheezing, gasping, shortness of breath, night snoring are unlikely to adorn anyone, and are usually associated with various diseases (colds, sinusitis, asthma, obesity, etc.). It is good when our breathing is silent, light, aesthetic. After all, sincere beauty is always expediency.
How should we breathe and what does it mean to breathe "correctly"?
From childhood we are taught: "Deep breath and slow exhalation!" Remember physical education lessons, industrial gymnastics?
But do you always have to breathe deeply? Or maybe it's better to breathe superficially? Breathe "with your chest" (by the way, many find this very feminine!) or "with your stomach" (which is considered "masculine" breathing)? Finally: breathe through your mouth or nose? Well, right here we will all unanimously declare that breathing through your mouth is harmful. After all, we know very well that many infectious diseases owe their spread precisely to this stupid habit, as well as colds and any catarrhal conditions.
Children who are allowed to breathe through their mouths grow up weak and prone to chronic diseases.
Breathing through the nose is the basic principle of any respiratory system.
What is more preferable for us: superficial or deep breathing?
Many people prefer the first and refer, in particular, to the method of volitional elimination of deep breathing (VLGP) by Buteyko.
It is known that with the help of breathing, changes in the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2) in the blood can be caused, and this is a regulator of a number of physiological functions in our body. In particular, we can achieve a decrease or increase in the tone of the cerebral vessels (without drugs).
During deep breathing, CO2 is excessively released from the body, and in order not to disturb the balance of necessary substances in the cells, reflexes are activated that reduce the concentration of oxygen. As a result, the vessels of the brain, heart, and intestines narrow.
Remember visits to the doctor, when, "listening" to you, the doctor says:
"Breathe deeper! More, more!.." And you are already dizzy, you would not fall!.. Have you ever had such a condition?
The VLGP method helps to increase the concentration of CO2 in the blood and more actively transfer O2 from the blood to the tissue. And this turns out to be useful in the treatment of a number of diseases.
However, is it useful for us to constantly breathe superficially, as they say, "at the tip of the nose"? Unfortunately, no!
First, a systematic increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide leads to the so-called "acidification" of the body (in the tissues it is retained in the form of carbonic acid) and the development of varying degrees of acidosis - metabolic disorders associated with an excess of acids in the blood and tissues of the body. And then the troubles caused by this: headache, decreased performance, etc.
Secondly, with superficial breathing we do not fully engage the organs of the respiratory system, and this, of course, is unacceptable (after all, it is known: "what does not move, dies").
Let us recall that, according to the organs involved in the breathing process, there are three main types of breathing: "upper" (clavicular), "middle" (diaphragmatic), and "lower" (abdominal).
The optimal combination is all three types of breathing.
It is this combination that trains our entire respiratory system, giving movement to all parts of the respiratory apparatus and carrying out complete ventilation and cleansing of our lungs. And in addition, there is also a massage of the abdominal organs, which, of course, is very valuable for the work of our digestive system.
Many well-known breathing systems, including VLGP or, for example, paradoxical breathing exercises according to Strelnikova (short, sharp inhalations through the nose and free, tension-free exhalations through the mouth in combination with a set of special exercises), are useful to use only as a therapeutic tool.
All the good sides of the "upper" breathing, "middle" and "lower" combine in themselves the full breath of yogis.
A brief technique for full breathing is as follows:
Standing or sitting (head, neck, spine - on the same line), exhale completely, then push the stomach forward as much as possible with the effort of the diaphragm down, slowly inhaling and filling the lower part of the lungs with a certain portion of air. Without releasing the stomach, continue inhaling, pushing the ribs apart and raising the collarbone up, filling the lungs with air. But so that the air penetrates each cell of the lungs, hold your breath (at the very end of the inhalation), pulling the stomach in as much as possible. The diaphragm rises up at the same time. A few seconds - and we exhale slowly.
You can master full breathing in elements (believe me, the efforts pay off a hundredfold!).
As for the depth of breathing, it all depends on the circumstances.
Agree that hardly any of us would want to breathe deeply in smoky rooms. Most likely, we will instinctively and quite correctly switch to the most superficial breathing that we are capable of.
But, of course, finding ourselves in nature, we will take a deep breath with great pleasure, inhaling the aroma of flowers and herbs or the breath of the sea.
By the way, a full breath does not at all imply the maximum filling of the lungs with air with each breath. You can inhale different portions of air, but distribute them throughout the entire volume of the lungs.
However, several times a day at a convenient time for you and always in a ventilated room (and even better in the fresh air) it is useful to take several deep full breaths. This is especially effective for the prevention of diseases, for example, if there is a risk of catching a cold.
Remember that breathing is not only the most necessary condition of our life, but can also be an excellent means of improving our body.
But is it only oxygen that enriches our body when breathing?
Eastern medicine believes that, in addition to oxygen, nitrogen and other gases, air contains some kind of vital energy, which is called the Sanskrit word "prana". Places located near fast-moving water contain the most prana, and densely populated areas contain the least, where the so-called crowd energy destroys prana. Just as oxygen is necessary for blood circulation, so is prana for the normal functioning of the nervous system.
The detrimental effect of crowd energy is probably familiar to everyone: in a crowded transport, in a queue (even on the street, it would seem - in the fresh air!), in a certain company, when it seems that another five minutes and you can faint. And the point here is not only (or not so much) in stuffiness, lack of oxygen or physical stress. There is no prana, which is necessary to maintain the normal functioning of our nervous system. Isn't it true how your mood and well-being change when you find yourself alone with nature, in the forest or in the field, by the sea or in the mountains?
Remember Marina Tsvitaeva's words:
"...trees, I come to you to escape
from the roar of the market!
With your upward swings
As if the heart is seen!"
Advice from a valeologist (Galina Lazareva)
1. A deep breath with a breath hold helps to overcome excitement at the beginning of a public speech (or a responsible conversation).
This same simple technique will also extinguish unwanted emotions at the very climax of a heated argument.
2. Eastern wisdom says: "Learn to control your breathing. When your breathing is under control, your heart is at peace."
3. Don't miss the slightest opportunity to train your respiratory system (especially when you are out of town, in the forest, by the sea...).
4. And if you like to sing, do it more often!