What respiratory systems are effective for health. Proper breathing and health

Have you thought about how you breathe? In life, we use less than half the volume of our lungs, we inhale the air superficially and rapidly. Such an incorrect approach disrupts the vital activity of the body and provokes the appearance of many ailments: from insomnia to atherosclerosis.

The more often we inhale the air, the less oxygen the body absorbs. Without holding the breath, carbon dioxide cannot accumulate in the blood and tissue cells. And this important element supports metabolic processes, participates in the synthesis of amino acids, calms the nervous system, dilates blood vessels, excites the respiratory center and makes it work optimally.

What is dangerous wrong breathing?

Rapid shallow breathing contributes to the development of hypertension, asthma, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular and other diseases. In an effort to make up for the excess loss of carbon dioxide, the body turns on the defense system. As a result, overvoltage occurs, which leads to an increase in mucus secretion, an increase in cholesterol levels, narrowing of blood vessels, spasms of bronchial vessels and smooth muscles of all organs.

How to normalize the breathing process?

Enrichment of blood with carbon dioxide is promoted by sleeping on the stomach, fasting, water procedures, hardening, sports activities and special breathing practices. It is also important to avoid stress, overeating, taking medications, alcohol, smoking and overheating, that is, to lead a healthy lifestyle.

What are the benefits of breathing exercises?

• Prevention of bronchial diseases (bronchial asthma, obstructive, chronic bronchitis).
• Massage of internal organs, improvement of intestinal peristalsis and strengthening of abdominal muscles.
• Concentration of attention and increase of intellectual activity.
• Reduce fatigue, fight stress and.
• A surge of energy, vivacity and excellent well-being.
• Young elastic skin and even weight loss.

Five general rules for performing breathing exercises

1. Start with the lightest, gradually increasing the load.
2. Exercise outdoors (or in a well-ventilated area) and wear comfortable clothing.
3. Don't get distracted during class. Concentration is important for maximum effect.
4. Breathe slowly. It is slow breathing that contributes to the greatest saturation of the body with oxygen.
5. Do exercises with pleasure. Stop exercising if you experience any unpleasant symptoms. Consult with a specialist regarding reducing the load or increasing the pause between sets. The only acceptable discomfort is slight dizziness.

Types of breathing exercises

yoga practice

Many centuries ago, yogis discovered the relationship of breathing with the emotional, physical and mental development of a person. Thanks to special exercises, the chakras and channels of perception are opened. Breathing exercises have a beneficial effect on the internal organs, you gain balance and harmony. Yogis call their system pranayama. During the exercise, you need to breathe only through the nose.

Pranayama is the ability to consciously control breathing and control the energy of the body with the help of inhalations and exhalations.

Kapalabhati - belly breathing

Sit in a comfortable position with a straight back. Close your eyes and focus on the mid-eyebrow. As you inhale, inflate your stomach: relax the abdominal wall, and the air will automatically enter the lungs. As you exhale, pull your stomach to the spine, the movement should be active. The chest and upper lungs are not involved in the process. Start with 36 breaths. When you get used to it, bring it up to 108.

Nadi shodhana - breathing through the left and right nostrils

Close the right nostril with the thumb, and through the left, inhale and exhale evenly. Perform five cycles (inhalation and exhalation count as one cycle), then change the nostril. Inhale and exhale through two nostrils - also five cycles. Practice for five days and move on to the next technique.

Inhale and exhale through the left nostril, then close it and inhale and exhale through the right. Change fingers, alternately covering the left and right nostrils. Perform 10 breath cycles.

Gymnastics Strelnikova

This gymnastics is designed as a way to restore the singing voice. However, practice has shown that the method of A. N. Strelnikova, based on gas exchange, is able to naturally and effectively heal the entire body. The exercises involve not only the respiratory system, but also the diaphragm, head, neck, and abdominals.

The principle of breathing is to quickly inhale through the nose every second during the exercise. You need to inhale actively, intensely, noisily and through the nose (while the nostrils should close). Exhalation is imperceptible, it happens by itself. Strelnikova's system includes many exercises, three of which are basic.

Exercise "Palms"

Stand up, bend your elbows and point your palms away from you. Clench your hands into fists while taking sharp and noisy breaths. After completing a series of eight breaths, rest and repeat the exercise - a total of 20 cycles.

Exercise "Carriers"

Place your feet slightly narrower than shoulder width, hands at waist level, palms clenched into fists. As you inhale, lower your arms sharply, unclenching your fists and spreading your fingers. Try to strain your hands and shoulders with maximum force. Do eight sets of eight times.

Exercise "Pump"

Leave your legs in the same position. Inhale noisily, slowly bend over and stretch your arms towards the floor without touching it. Then slowly return to the starting position, as if you were pumping. Do eight sets of eight times.

Buteyko method

According to K. P. Buteyko (a Soviet scientist, physiologist, clinician, philosopher of medicine, candidate of medical sciences), the cause of the development of diseases is alveolar hyperventilation. With deep breaths, the amount of oxygen received does not increase, but the amount of carbon dioxide decreases.

An interesting fact serves as confirmation of this theory: the lung volume of a patient with bronchial asthma is 10–15 liters, a healthy person - 5 liters.

The purpose of this breathing exercise is to get rid of hyperventilation of the lungs, which, in turn, helps to cope with diseases such as bronchial asthma, allergies, asthmatic bronchitis, angina pectoris, diabetes, and so on. The Buteyko system includes artificial shallow breathing, delays, slowdowns and difficulty in breathing up to the use of corsets.

The initial stage of training

Measure the control pause - the interval from a calm exhalation to the desire to inhale (so that you do not want to breathe through your mouth). Norm - from 60 seconds. Measure the pulse rate, the norm is less than 60.

Sit on a chair, straighten your back and look slightly above the eye line. Relax the diaphragm, starting to breathe so shallowly that a feeling of lack of air appears in the chest. In this state, you need to be within 10-15 minutes.

The meaning of Buteyko exercises is to gradually reduce the depth of breathing and reduce it to a minimum. Decrease the inspiratory volume for 5 minutes, and then measure the control pause. Train only on an empty stomach, breathe through your nose and silently.

Bodyflex

This is a method of combating excess weight, sagging skin and wrinkles, developed by Greer Childers. Its undeniable advantage is the absence of age restrictions. The principle of bodyflex is a combination of aerobic breathing and stretching. As a result, the body is saturated with oxygen, which burns fat, and the muscles tense, becoming elastic. Start mastering gymnastics with five-stage breathing.

Five-stage breathing

Imagine that you are going to sit on a chair: bend forward, resting your hands on your legs, slightly bent at the knees, push your buttocks back. Place your palms about 2-3 centimeters above your knees.

1. Exhalation. Squeeze your lips into a tube, slowly and evenly release all the air from the lungs without a trace.
2. Inhale. Without opening your mouth, inhale quickly and sharply through your nose, trying to fill your lungs with air to capacity. The breath should be noisy.
3. Exhalation. Raise your head up 45 degrees. Make a movement with your lips, as if smearing lipstick. Exhale from the diaphragm with force all the air through the mouth. You should get a sound similar to "groin".
4. Pause. Hold your breath, tilt your head forward and pull your stomach in for 8-10 seconds. Try to get a wave. Imagine that the stomach and other organs of the abdominal cavity are literally placed under the ribs.
5. Relax, inhale and release your abdominal muscles.

Muller system

Danish gymnast Jørgen Peter Müller calls for deep and rhythmic breathing without pauses: do not hold your breath, do not take short breaths. The goal of his exercises is healthy skin, respiratory endurance and good muscle tone.

The system consists of 60 respiratory movements performed simultaneously with ten exercises (one exercise - 6 breaths and exhalations). We recommend starting with an easy level of difficulty. Perform the first five exercises slowly six times. Breathe in through your chest and through your nose.

5 exercises to strengthen the muscular corset

Exercise number 1. Starting position: hands on the belt, feet next to each other, back straight. Alternately raise and lower straight legs forward, to the sides and back (one leg on the inhale, the other on the exhale).

Exercise number 2. Place your feet a short step apart. While inhaling, bend back as much as possible (with your head), move your hips forward, bend your elbows and hands clenched in fists. As you exhale, bend down, straighten your arms and try to touch the floor with them. Do not bend your knees while doing this.

Exercise number 3. Close and do not lift your heels. As you inhale, tilt your torso to the left while moving your half-bent right arm behind your head. Exhale and return to the starting position. Repeat the movements to the right side.

Exercise number 4. Spread your feet as far apart as possible. The heels are turned outward, the arms hang freely at the sides. Turn the body: the right shoulder - back, the left hip - forward, and vice versa.

Exercise number 5. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. As you inhale, slowly raise your arms in front of you. Do a deep squat as you exhale. Straighten up and lower your arms.

Contraindications

No matter how great the benefits of breathing exercises, they should be performed carefully. Before starting any activity, consult your doctor. Gradually move on to increasing the load to avoid the unpleasant symptoms of hyperventilation.

Breathing exercises are contraindicated for people after surgery and with certain diseases. Limitations are severe hypertension, a high degree of myopia, a previous heart attack, glaucoma in the acute stage of the disease against the background of hyperthermia, acute respiratory viral infections, decompensated cardiovascular and endocrine pathologies.

Strange but true: the natural process of inhaling and exhaling can make a big difference in your life. Properly selected breathing technique can improve health and provide. The main thing is the desire to learn and a competent approach.

This method is a powerful counter-intuitive approach to many of the health problems associated with improper breathing, such as asthma, hypertension, anxiety, and sleep apnea.

Two years ago, I interviewed Patrick McKeon about the benefits of the Buteyko Method, a powerful approach to many of the health problems associated with bad breath. Two of the most common problems are rapid breathing (hyperventilation) and mouth breathing., both of which have adverse health effects and can be especially harmful if they occur during exercise.

Breathing calmly means breathing correctly

While it may seem like you definitely know how to breathe, because you would die if you stopped doing it for a few minutes, most of us breathe in ways that put our health at risk.

In fact, the entire field of breath and breathwork has tremendous potential, as most of the common breath concepts that govern yoga, Pilates, and meditation techniques tend to focus on long, deep breaths. but in fact, you need to do exactly the opposite.

Syndrome of chronic hyperventilation

Syndrome of chronic hyperventilation was originally registered during the American Civil War, at that time it was called "irritable heart". The term "hyperventilation syndrome" was coined in 1937 by Dr. Kerr and his colleagues.

The following year, another group of researchers found that you could bring on the symptoms of the syndrome yourself by taking 20 or 30 deep breaths through your mouth in one or two minutes.

As Patrick noted, once you get used to fast breathing, it becomes permanent and to recover, you usually need to use a certain technique to relearn how to breathe correctly, such as method developed by a Russian doctor Konstantin Buteyko(it is described at the end of the article).

In 1957 Dr. Buteyko coined the term "deep breathing disease", for more than a decade researching the health effects of rapid breathing.

During his training, one of the assignments involved monitoring patients' breathing volume. At that moment, he noticed something interesting. The sicker the patient was, the harder he breathed.

Later, he also discovered that he could lower his blood pressure simply by slowing his breathing down to a normal rate, and in this way he successfully "cured" his own hypertension.

Signs and effects of hyperventilation syndrome

Signs of bad breathing include:

Breathing through the mouth

Breathing with the help of the upper chest, with its visible movement with each breath

Frequent sighs

Noticeable or audible breathing during periods of rest

Deep breaths before starting a conversation

Irregular breathing

Regular sniffing

Yawning with a deep breath

Chronic rhinitis (nasal congestion and runny nose)

Apnea during sleep

Consequences of chronic rapid breathing include negative impact on the cardiovascular, neurological, respiratory, muscular, gastrointestinal systems of the body, as well as psychological effects, such as the:

Heart palpitations

• Tachycardia

  Sharp or unusual chest pain

• Cold hands and feet

  Raynaud's disease

  Headache

  Capillary vasoconstriction

  Dizziness

  fainting

  Paresthesia (numbness, tingling)

  Difficulty breathing or a feeling of constriction in the chest

  Irritant throat cough

  Muscle cramps, pain and muscle tension

  Anxiety, panic and phobias

  allergies

  Difficulty swallowing; lump in the throat

  acid reflux, heartburn

  Gas, belching, bloating and abdominal discomfort

  Weakness; exhaustion

  Decreased concentration and memory

  Intermittent sleep, nightmares

  Nervous sweating

What is normal breathing and what causes it to be disturbed?

The normal breathing volume is approximately four to six liters of air per minute at rest, which corresponds to 10 to 12 breaths per minute. But instead of focusing on the number of breaths, Patrick teaches you to breathe softly and calmly and he even came up with a saying "breathing calmly means breathing correctly."

Meanwhile, the breathing volume of people with asthma tends to be 13 to 15 liters of air per minute, and people with sleep apnea inhale an average of 10 to 15 liters per minute.

In short, asthmatics and people with sleep apnea breathe too much air - three times as much air as they need - and this disturbed breathing pattern is part of the diagnosis.

So why does breathing become wrong in the first place? According to Patrick, most of the distorted breathing patterns have their roots in modern lifestyles. The main factors that affect breathing are:

Processed foods (acid-producing)

Binge eating

Excessive talkativeness

• The belief to take deep breaths

  Lack of physical activity

  Genetic predisposition or family habits

  High room temperature

Breathing as a stress reliever

Of these factors, stress plays a huge role, if only because most people experience it all the time these days. Unfortunately, the usual advice to “take a deep breath” to relieve tension only makes things worse. According to Patrick, one of the most An effective way to eliminate stress is to slow down your breathing.

Stress makes you breathe faster and causes an increase in the frequency of breaths, so to prevent or relieve stress, you need to do the opposite: breathe slower, softer and make breathing more regular. Ideally, your breath should become so light, soft and gentle "that the hairs in the nostrils should remain motionless."

It is very important to breathe through your nose and not through your mouth. According to the late Dr. Maurice Cottle, who founded the American Society of Rhinology in 1954, your nose performs at least 30 functions, all of which are important additions to the functions of the lungs, heart, and other organs.

Part of the benefit of breathing through the nose is due to the presence of nitric oxide. and when you breathe calmly and slowly through your nose, you carry a small amount of this beneficial gas into your lungs.

Nitric oxide not only helps maintain homeostasis (balance) in your body, but it also opens up your airways (bronchodilation), blood vessels (vasodilation), and has antibacterial properties that help neutralize germs and bacteria.

Breathing through the nose also helps to normalize breathing volume. This is important because when you constantly inhale too much, more air entering your lungs can cause blood gas disturbances, including the loss of carbon dioxide (CO2).

How does your body regulate breathing?

Your breathing is primarily regulated by brain receptors that check the concentration of carbon dioxide and pH levels (and to a lesser extent oxygen levels) in your blood.

We generally think that the reason for our need to breathe is the importance of oxygen in the body, but the stimulus to breathe is actually the need to get rid of excess carbon dioxide. However, carbon dioxide is not just a waste gas. It performs a number of important functions in your body.

Your body needs a certain amount of carbon dioxide all the time, and one of the side effects of breathing too fast is to expel too much carbon dioxide. As the level of carbon dioxide gets lower, so does the hydrogen ion, leading to an excess of bicarbonate ions and a deficiency of hydrogen ions, causing the blood pH to change to alkaline.

Thus, if you breathe in more than your body needs in a given period of time, even up to 24 hours, your body increases its normal breathing volume. As a result, stress begins to chronically affect your body.

What's more, if you're constantly inhaling too much, it won't take long for your body to become "overwhelmed" - even minor emotional stress can trigger symptoms, whether it's a panic attack or a heart problem, as rapid breathing constricts arteries, thereby reducing blood flow to the brain and heart (as well as to the rest of your body).

But the catalyst for this problem is not the stressor, but the fact that you are constantly inhaling excessive amounts of air. One traditional panic attack remedy is to take four or five breaths through a paper bag to increase carbon dioxide levels and improve blood flow to your brain.

A more permanent solution to the problem is to change your breathing habits.

Hyperventilation reduces the amount of oxygen taken in

Hyperventilation not only reduces the amount of carbon dioxide released, but under its influence, less oxygen is also transferred to the tissues and organs of your body - t that is, it has the opposite effect of the common belief about heavy breathing.

This is an integral part of why forced breathing through the mouth during exercise is not recommended. In a nutshell, hyperventilation can cause severe narrowing of your carotid arteries and can halve the amount of oxygen available to your brain.

That's why you can feel a little dizzy when you breathe too hard, and this may be one of the mechanisms that can cause even physically fit marathon runners to die suddenly - usually from cardiac arrest. So be sure to breathe through your nose while exercising.

If you start breathing through your mouth, lower the intensity to return to breathing through your nose. Over time, you will be able to train with more intensity and continue to breathe through your nose, which will mean that your fitness improves. Continuous nose breathing is also a basic step that will help restore normal breathing volume.

Buteyko breathing method

1. Sit straight without crossing your legs and breathe comfortably and continuously.

2. Take a small, quiet breath in, and then exhale through your nose. After exhaling, pinch your nose to prevent air from entering it.

3. Start the stopwatch and hold your breath until you feel the first definite urge to inhale.

4. When you feel it, resume breathing and pay attention to the time. The desire to breathe can manifest itself in the form of involuntary movements of the respiratory muscles, or twitching of the abdomen, or even contractions in the throat.

This is not a breath-holding contest - you measure how long you can comfortably and naturally hold your breath.

5. Inhalations through the nose should be calm and controlled. If you feel like you need to take a deep breath, you have been holding your breath for too long.

The time you measured is called the "control pause" or CP, and it reflects your body's tolerance for carbon dioxide. A short CP time is associated with low CO2 tolerance and chronically low CO2 levels.

Here are the criteria for judging your Control Pause (CP):

CP from 40 to 60 seconds: indicates a normal healthy breathing pattern and excellent endurance

CP from 20 to 40 seconds: indicates mild respiratory distress, moderate exercise tolerance, and potential future health problems (most people fall into this category)

CP from 10 to 20 seconds: indicates significant respiratory failure and poor exercise tolerance; it is recommended to do breathing exercises and lifestyle changes (especially pay attention to poor diet, overweight, stress, excessive alcohol consumption, etc.),

CP less than 10 seconds: Severe breathing problems, very poor exercise tolerance, and chronic health problems Dr. Buteyko recommends consulting with a doctor practicing the Buteyko technique

Thus, the shorter the CP time, the faster dyspnea will appear during exercise. If your CP time is less than 20 seconds, NEVER open your mouth during a workout as your breathing is too inconsistent. This is especially important if you have asthma.

The good news is that you will feel better and your endurance will improve every time you increase your CP time by five seconds, which you can achieve by starting to do the following Buteyko breathing exercises.

How to improve control pause (CP) time

Sit up straight.

Take a small breath in through your nose and then exhale in the same way.

Pinch your nose with your fingers and hold your breath. Don't open your mouth.

Gently tilt your head or sway until you feel like you can no longer hold your breath. (Pinch your nose until you feel a strong urge to breathe).

When you need to inhale, open your nose and inhale gently through it, then exhale with your mouth closed.

Regain your breath as soon as possible.

Proper breathing is an easy and free way to improve your health and fitness

The Buteyko Method is a powerful and inexpensive tool that can help you improve your health, life expectancy, quality of life and your athletic performance. I highly recommend incorporating it into your daily routine, and when you're ready, into your workouts.

Just remember to make slow progress in the exercises and gradually decrease your mouth breathing time.

© Joseph Mekrola

If you have any questions, ask them

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consumption, we are changing the world together! © econet

The basis of our life is breathing, which is so natural that we do not notice it.

However, when we are physically or psychologically stressed, our breathing quickens. We not only notice it, but also experience discomfort due to shortness of breath or lack of air if we are in a closed, stuffy room.

What do we know about proper breathing - the basis of life - health and longevity? We know that we need oxygen, that we need to breathe through the nose, because the air in the nose is warmed, cleaned of dust and microbes. We know that we need to be outdoors more often, to ventilate the rooms where we are.

But few people know that not only health, but also our youth and longevity depend on proper breathing.

What is the correct breath?

Modern medicine claims that deep breathing is better than shallow breathing, since more oxygen enters the body, blood circulation improves, which means cell nutrition. And with shallow breathing, small alveoli (air cells of the lungs) do not participate in breathing. They stagnate "dirty" air, saturated with metabolic products, which negatively affects the functions of the lungs and disrupts metabolic processes in the body.

Ancient Chinese medicine and Taoist teachings adhered to the same point of view - breathing should be deep, but very slow, like a baby (abdominal). Most of us, with the exception of singers, grow up forgetting this natural way of breathing and breathing shallowly.

In the modern frantic pace of life, we are constantly in tension, worried about trifles, our capillaries shrink. This causes problems with blood delivery and the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Internal (cellular) respiration is disturbed, which leads to diseases.

As long as we are young and active, the vitality of the breath is sufficient. But after 50-60 years, the result of improper breathing is high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, etc.

How to learn to breathe correctly

Choosing a Method or Technique for Proper Breathing

There are many methods. You need to choose them depending on your needs and the presence of certain diseases.

I will share my experience of choosing and performing respiratory movements. I have increased blood pressure, according to age, and also visit other vascular symptoms: dizziness, ringing in the ears, etc.

First of all, I got acquainted with some breathing techniques (there are many of them on the Internet), tried to perform and followed the reaction of my body, the comfort of the state during execution.

From a long time ago, I was familiar with the cleansing breathing method from yoga (I used to do it once). Japanese managers were interested in breathing exercises (read in a magazine). Having combined the two methods, I tested them and noted the effectiveness. Since then, I have successfully used these breathing movements for many years.

This technique of correct breathing saves me during a period of increased intellectual stress. After doing the exercises for 5-10 minutes, I feel rested, as after sleeping.

I always remember about proper breathing, and I use my breathing technique during sudden pressure surges, in stressful situations, during anxiety attacks and lack of air due to problems with the thyroid gland.

Breathing technique from personal experience

1. Adopt the correct natural posture. The posture becomes natural when you are in a comfortable and comfortable position: lying, sitting or standing. You don't feel any tension in your body. Stress contributes to vasospasm and poor circulation. You feel light and calm. This does not mean that you have relaxed so that the muscles "hang", as during meditation. No. This is another position where your mind is almost free of thoughts and your body is not tense. Your attention is focused on the breath. The back is straight, the spine is strictly in a horizontal (lying) or vertical position (sitting, standing). The head in a sitting or standing position should be fixed on the neck straight.
2. Take a smooth, silent, but full breath through your nose to the count of 1, 2, 3, 4 (as if you are smelling flowers). Imagine that air is slowly drawn in from the tip of the nose through the lungs into the abdomen, expanding it. Thus, the air fills even the lower parts of the lungs, while stretching the diaphragm that separates the chest from the abdominal cavity.
3. Hold the air in yourself for 3 seconds (mentally counting to 3).
4. Exhale calmly and slowly through your mouth for 4 seconds. Then, on the count of 5, 6, 7, take three strong exhalations through your mouth, pulling your stomach up to your ribs. It will be like three pushes of the diaphragm up, as a result of which the smallest alveoli of the lungs will be able to free themselves of air. This element of cleansing breath will clear the most secluded places of the lungs from stagnant air and accumulated mucus. If it is difficult for someone to abruptly end the exhalation with jerks, pulling up the stomach, you can exhale calmly through the nose for a count of 7.
5. After exhaling, you need to hold your breath again, mentally counting up to 8. When you master this breathing technique well, you can exhale longer. For example, I can pause on the exhale up to 12-15 seconds.
6. Again, inhale slowly and deeply through the nose as described in point 2 and repeat the breathing cycle.

So, the breathing technique consists of inhaling for a count of 4, holding the breath for a count of 3, exhaling for 7 seconds and holding the breath for up to 8 seconds (4, 3, 7, 8).

At the beginning of practice proper breathing - the basis of life - health and longevity, You will be able to do 5-7 cycles of "inhale-hold-exhale-hold".

As you train, bring this number up to 12 cycles. During the day, you can do as many approaches to such breathing exercises as needed.

The regularity of classes will allow you to get used to breathing correctly: slowly and deeply, with delays on inspiration to increase the flow of oxygen, and on exhalation to increase the level of carbon dioxide in the blood. Breathing with the stomach or diaphragm is considered correct and most beneficial for health.

Why does the body need carbon dioxide?

Why is it necessary to exhale? The fact is that for a uniform distribution in the body of oxygen that enters the lungs during inspiration, a normal level of CO2 carbon dioxide in the blood is needed - about 6.4%. If this level is lower due to shallow breathing or old age with a sedentary lifestyle, the inhaled oxygen does not reach the cells of the body, but remains unabsorbed and leaves the body when exhaled.

The need for a sufficient level of carbon dioxide in the blood for the health of the body was proved by scientists:

• Normal CO2 levels stimulate the breathing process. It turns out that a decrease in oxygen supply is not a signal for our body to replenish it. This signal is an increase in the level of carbon dioxide in the blood.
• Carbon dioxide regulates blood flow in the body, as it dilates blood vessels and helps deliver oxygen to cells.
• Carbonic acid regulates the pH of the blood, preventing it from becoming acidic.
• A sufficient level of CO2 in the blood is responsible for metabolism, the functioning of the endocrine system, blood composition, protein synthesis and the formation of new cells (rejuvenation).
• The physical condition of a person and the intensity of his aging processes depend on the normal level of CO2.

At a young age, the normal level of carbon dioxide in the blood is provided by sufficient physical activity of a person. In elderly people, when the motor load decreases, the level of CO2 in the blood also drops to 3-4%, so proper breathing can make up for it.

The benefits of proper breathing and how to do it

Utility

benefit proper breathing - the basis of life - health and longevity it is difficult to overestimate, since blood circulation improves from normal blood saturation with oxygen and carbon dioxide; normalizes blood pressure and the work of the heart muscle; the functions of the brain and nervous system are activated; due to internal massage of the moving diaphragm; the muscles of the back, shoulder girdle and abdomen are strengthened, which significantly improves the condition of the spine and posture.

As a result of the constant practice of breathing exercises over time (not immediately), you will feel cheerfulness and a surge of energy, excellent health and increased intellectual activity. Your complexion will improve, the skin will be elastic and young. You can even lose a few pounds of weight. And you certainly will not suffer from diseases of the pulmonary system, as your lungs will be trained and well ventilated.

In addition, scientists argue that breathing techniques increase the movement of lymph, which quickly removes toxins and waste products of cells, thereby healing the body.

Basic rules for execution

There are few basic rules for performing breathing exercises:

The only discomfort that is felt during breathing exercises is dizziness, and that is mild.

Contraindications

People who have undergone surgery, a heart attack, suffering from decompensated cardiovascular pathology, diseases of the endocrine system, a high degree of myopia, glaucoma in the acute stage, infectious diseases in the acute period, as well as those who are diagnosed with hypertension with high blood pressure numbers, should refuse from this breathing technique.

For everyone else, after consulting a doctor, I recommend proper breathing techniques for rejuvenation and life extension as a result of inhibition of cell aging processes.

In order to achieve this and normalize all processes in the body, do not forget to sleep well, eat right, harden your body, avoid stress, smoking, and drinking alcohol.

Breathe deeply and slowly! Be healthy and happy!

Breathing exercises are very effective, which help with numerous diseases, relieving various symptoms and alleviating the condition, and are also effective in losing weight. It is important to perform them regularly and in accordance with a number of existing rules.

Therapeutic breathing exercises

Regardless of what breathing exercises are used for, you need to know and take into account a number of rules:

1. You should start your workouts with simple loads, gradually increasing the number of repetitions and the complexity of the exercises.
2. When performing breathing exercises to improve health, it is important to maintain maximum concentration, not be distracted by anything, so it is better to do it alone and in a calm environment.
3. Practice outdoors or keep the room well ventilated.
4. During the lesson, watch your posture, otherwise breathing will be difficult.

Breathing exercises to calm the nervous system

During the day, many people experience stressful situations that negatively affect their well-being. To relax, it is recommended to use breathing exercises to calm down. Repeat them until you feel relief.

1. Standing straight, lower your arms down and take a deep breath. Hold your breath for half a minute, and then exhale strongly, folding your lips into a tube. At the same time, be sure to pull in your stomach. After that, take a calm breath in and out.
2. In a comfortable position, slowly inhale deeply and exhale sharply. Repeat several times. Breathing exercises like this help to wake up and cheer up.

Breathing exercises for insomnia

Simple exercises for good sleep help get rid of mental fatigue, relieve nervous system overstrain and relax the muscles of the body. Do gymnastics to relaxing quiet music without words. Breathing exercises for sleep are recommended to be performed with your eyes closed.

1. Draw in the air slowly and deeply, sticking out your stomach. It is important that at the same time the chest gradually expands, filling the lungs with oxygen to the maximum. In the next step of the exercise, exhale slowly. Make sure that the stomach is deflated first, and then the chest. Do 5-7 reps.
2. The next breathing exercise is performed due to the diaphragm, that is, the chest should not move. When drawing in air, stick out your stomach, and when you release it, deflate it. Do everything at a slow pace.

Breathing exercises for VVD

During attacks, a person does not have enough air, and he may begin to suffocate. Feelings of anxiety, stress or excessive stress can lead to this. To calm down and alleviate the condition, experts recommend doing breathing exercises with.

1. As you inhale, expand your chest and push out your belly, and as you exhale, draw in your belly and deflate your chest. It is recommended to control breathing with your hands. To complicate the exercise, you can exercise a little resistance.
2. If the attack is severe, then breathe for a couple of minutes using a paper bag, pressing it to your cheeks and nose.

Breathing exercises for asthma

Doctors recommend that people with asthma regularly do exercises that can alleviate the condition. In addition, it helps prevent the development of complications and tension. Breathing exercises for bronchial asthma should be part of the daily schedule, otherwise there will be no positive dynamics.

1. Lying in bed, bend your knees and pull them up while exhaling for a long time through your mouth. Repeat the exercise as many times as you like. Due to this, the process of sputum discharge is accelerated, and the respiratory tract is cleared.
2. There are breathing exercises that can be performed in any position, these include the following: pinch the right nostril with your fingers, inhale, and then close the left and exhale. After that, do the opposite.

Breathing exercises for pneumonia

In the presence of this disease, the systematic implementation of special gymnastics helps to provide the lungs with full ventilation, improve blood flow, cope with intoxication, increase the depth of inspiration and remove sputum. Breathing exercises for pneumonia in adults speed up the healing process.

1. In a relaxed state, inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth after three seconds. In this case, the lips must be kept tightly compressed, thereby creating an obstacle for the exit of air. It should take no more than six seconds to exhale.
2. Cleansing breathing exercises are based on a deep breath, after which you should hold your breath for a couple of seconds and release air through your mouth in short bursts. You do not need to puff out your cheeks during the exercise.

Breathing exercises for bronchitis

For a quick recovery, it is recommended to combine medication with special gymnastics. Breathing exercises for the lungs and bronchi strengthen the immune system, improve blood circulation, which contributes to the flow of oxygen to the bronchi, and facilitates the process of sputum discharge. In addition, overall well-being improves and the risk of complications decreases.

1. Stand up straight with your feet at shoulder height and arms down. Inhale briefly through your nose, clenching your fists. Exhaling through your mouth, straighten your palms. Do four reps, rest five seconds, and do six more of these sets.
2. For the next breathing exercise, lower your arms down and lean forward. Inhale noisily through the nose, slightly moving the body forward, rise back, releasing the air. Do 8 reps and then rest.

Breathing exercises for hypertension

For people with high blood pressure, breathing exercises are useful due to its positive effect on the work of the heart, which leads to the normalization of indicators and relief of the condition. A set of breathing exercises is recommended to be used as a preventive measure.

1. Spread your arms out to the sides with your palms forward so that your hands are at neck level. Inhale noisily through your nose, clenching your fists as if you are grasping something. Exhale slowly through your mouth, relaxing your arms.
2. For the next breathing exercise, bend your elbows, joining your fists at the waist level in front of you. Inhale deeply and intensely through your nose, while sharply lowering your fists forward and straightening your arms. While inhaling, return to the starting position.

Breathing exercises for arrhythmias

If there are problems in the work of the heart muscle, it is recommended to use a special one that accelerates blood circulation and saturates the blood with oxygen. Experts advise doing exercises for the respiratory system for people prone to developing heart diseases, as they normalize the functioning of the organ and reduce the risk of complications. Do gymnastics after waking up and before going to bed for no longer than 25 minutes. It is important to increase the number of repetitions every day.

1. Breathing exercises for the heart, start with a few short sharp breaths and exhalations. In this case, you should gradually step in place, observing the rhythm - step / inhale.
2. Standing straight and keeping your arms down, take a sharp noisy breath, clench your fists. As you exhale, open your palms. Do six repetitions, resting between them for 25 seconds.

Breathing exercises for pancreatitis

Active physical activity is contraindicated when, but breathing exercises provide a useful internal massage. It is especially recommended for the chronic form of the disease. Breathing exercises help to improve the movement of blood and the outflow of juice that forms the pancreatic gland. Training is recommended to be carried out 2-3 times a day, being in any position. Repeat each exercise at least three times, up to ten repetitions.

1. Slowly draw the air in and out, and then hold your breath and draw in the stomach as much as possible. Count to three and relax.
2. Repeat a relaxed inhalation and exhalation, and then sharply hold your breath, strongly bulging your stomach, and count to three.

Breathing exercises for weight loss

People who want to lose weight can use breathing exercises as an additional technique, which reduces appetite, improves digestion and the process of splitting fats, and also gives a boost of energy. Breathing exercises for weight loss of the abdomen and other parts of the body will not take much time, so 15 minutes is enough.

1. Pull in your stomach and inhale deeply, and then, in jerks, gradually release the air through your mouth, closing your lips tightly. During the exercise, tension and relaxation of the abdomen should occur. Do at least 20 repetitions.
2. Sit in a chair with your back straight and your feet flat on the floor. Breathe in your belly, tensing and relaxing your abs. Start with 10 reps and work your way up to 40 reps.

How often do we stop noticing the little things we are used to? But some of them are of great importance. For example, breathing. Agree, rarely anyone pays attention to the correct setting of breathing, does exercises, knows the techniques. And this knowledge is useful for health and general well-being. How to breathe correctly and why - let's talk in this article.

There are several types of breathing, breathing techniques and exercises, and many of them have their origins in the distant past. Which ones and how to follow them - let's figure it out.

Breathing exercises

Breathing exercises are a specific sequence of breathing exercises. With its help, diseases of the bronchi, lungs are treated, and the bone-ligamentous system is also strengthened. The general condition improves: activity and concentration increase, it becomes easy, and physical indicators are better. Despite the fact that breathing exercises can be performed for 30 minutes a day without much effort, the effect is felt almost immediately, and the visible result will not be long in coming.

Such practices are very specific, have many types and, if performed incorrectly, can be harmful. You should be careful and careful when choosing your method of treatment with breathing exercises. Consult with your doctor and choose the block of breathing exercises that suits your body.

To more fully reveal the possibilities of gymnastics, let's look at what types of breathing exist:

1. Upper- breathing through the upper chest. The diaphragm almost does not move down, and the abdominal muscles barely tense.
2. The average- air enters the body due to the expansion of the middle section of the chest. The abdominal muscles contract more strongly, the diaphragm barely moves down.
3. lower- Involves the lower chest. The diaphragm is maximally lowered down, and the abdominal muscles are relaxed.
4. Complete- combination of all previous types of breathing. There is a maximum filling of the lungs with air.
5. Reverse- when inhaling, all actions are reversed: the abdominal muscles are tense, the diaphragm goes down. The internal organs are compressed and massaged.
6. Delayed- breathing, in which a delay appears in the cycle "inhale-exhale". There are several options for such breathing:
   • inhale, hold, exhale;
   • inhale, exhale, hold;
   • inhale, hold, exhale, hold.

The latter method is actively used in yoga, since the ancient masters of this doctrine believed that at the moment of holding the breath, the body is filled with energy and strength.

So, we know the main types of breathing - now let's talk about the types and differences of breathing exercises.

There are many types of breathing exercises, but they all work according to the following principles:

• artificial embarrassment;
• breath holding;
• slowing down breathing.

In other words, everything is built on the weakening of breathing, due to which the benefits of breathing exercises arise.

As a young opera singer, Alexandra Nikolaevna Strelnikova, together with her mother, developed a method for restoring her singing voice, as problems began with him. The technique turned out to be useful not only for vocals, but also for the body as a whole.

How to do breathing exercises Strelnikova? Before starting, you should prepare the venue: it should be a bright room with clean air and an open window. Classes are best done on an empty stomach or half an hour after eating.

The essence of Strelnikova's technique- in every second sharp breath through the nose, which is accompanied by a series of exercises. Such a breath should be active, strong and noisy - “sniffing the air”. Exhalation - imperceptible, occurs by itself.

Required set of rules:

1. Shoulders with each breath move not up, but down.
2. The nostrils should close as if they were pressed. They must obey you and be under control.
3. Gymnastics should be carried out until it tires you, as long as there is pleasure.

At the first lesson, the exercises should be performed for 4, 8 or 16 sharp breaths. Rest between exercises - 2-4 seconds. For one approach, the average number is 32 breaths, with a rest break of 2-4 seconds.

When training for two weeks, you can bring the level of training to 4000 breaths per day, dividing the series of exercises into three parts, performed in the morning, afternoon and evening. After you feel a significant improvement in health, you can reduce the number of breaths in the exercises, but you can’t finish the exercises at all.

If you feel worse, the disease worsens - it is better to perform this set of breathing exercises while sitting or lying down for 2, 4, 8 breaths with a break between them of 2 or more seconds.

Strelnikova's gymnastics affects the lungs, bronchi, skin and vocal apparatus and treats the corresponding diseases: bronchitis, pneumonia, stuttering, scoliosis, spinal injuries, diseases of the genitourinary system and even neurosis.

The method of breathing exercises by Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko is based on the principle of “breathing less”. It has been clinically proven that this approach can treat over 90 diseases, the main cause of which is a lack of carbon dioxide in the body. The author himself called his approach “the method of volitional elimination of deep breathing”.

All exercises in the Buteyko system are based on holding or shallow breathing. The task is to reduce the need for oxygen and a good saturation of the body with carbon dioxide.

Standard breathing exercises according to the Buteyko method:

1. Inhale - 2 seconds.
2. Exhale - 4 seconds.
3. Breath holding - 4 seconds.

At the same time, you will experience a feeling of lack of oxygen - this is normal. This state is an integral part of Buteyko breathing exercises.
Breathing itself should be light, imperceptible, in contrast to Strelnikova's technique, absolutely silent.

This type of gymnastics does an excellent job with bronchitis, pneumonia, adenoiditis, skin pathologies, Raynaud's disease, obesity, rheumatism and many other diseases.

To find out your condition according to the Buteyko system, conduct the following experiment:

1. Take a normal breath.
2. Hold your breath for as long as you can.

If the delay lasted less than 20 seconds - it is bad, from 20 to 40 seconds - satisfactory, from 40 to a minute - good, and more than 60 seconds - excellent.

Naturally, before using such breathing exercises, you should consult a doctor and find out if such loads are suitable for you.

In addition to solving problems with internal organs, breathing exercises solve aesthetic problems, for example, struggling with excess weight. A special series of exercises, a special technique and their daily performance will give you strength, energy and will be able to remove extra pounds.

This type of breathing exercises is much easier than running or strength training, so applying it in everyday life is much easier and more enjoyable. Lessons can be done anytime and anywhere. However, it is worth consulting with your doctor, as not all exercises will be beneficial. For example, with injuries of the spine, cardiovascular system, during pregnancy or feeding, you should not resort to such gymnastics on your own. But you can exercise under the supervision of a doctor or instructor.

The first results from weight loss exercises will be noticeable in two weeks. With intensive training for a year or more, they will affect the general well-being and health in general.

The main types of gymnastics for weight loss include:

• qigong- spiritual and breathing practice of three exercises to get rid of excess weight;
• pranayama- a system of yoga exercises to get rid of everything superfluous in the body;
• bodyflex- Childers Grieg based on aerobic respiration;
• oxysize- modification of the bodyflex without sharp exhalations and inhalations, a more gentle technique.

The main exercises in this gymnastics are "dollar", "cat", "abdominal press" and "scissors". All of them are especially useful for women after childbirth.

As we can see, there are several varieties within one type of gymnastics. In order not to make a mistake in choosing and choosing an effective method, consult your doctor.

Despite such a rich assortment of breathing techniques, there are general guidelines for all types of exercises:

1. Constant and regular training.
2. Classes should take place only in a good mood, abstract from everything that can cause negative emotions.
3. You can’t stop training for a long time, but it’s better to keep one pace of training that is convenient for you.
4. . The most ideal option is classes on the street or in nature in a clean area.

The last point is especially important, because without clean air there is no point in such breathing exercises. What if you live in a polluted area and frequent trips to nature are not possible?

One option is to practice at home if you have an air purifier installed. Even better - because it has three degrees of filtration against dust and dirt, allergens and harmful gases. It supplies a stream of oxygen, which is so necessary for breathing exercises, already purified from street dirt. Such equipment constantly maintains fresh and clean air in the house, which will help you to practice breathing.

Marina Korpan's methodology is based on bodyflex and oxysize - a combination of proper breathing with muscle stretching:

1. Inhale through the nose with the retraction of the abdomen.
2. Calm exhalation through the mouth with the maximum exit of air from the lungs.

Marina also practices holding her breath for 8-10 seconds, which contributes to the saturation of the body with carbon dioxide, the importance of which we have already discussed in the method of Konstantin Buteyko.

Practice for 15 minutes a day and you will soon get the first visible results and sensations. The most important condition for technique is constant and regular training - do not skip or postpone classes for a long time. Otherwise, the effect will be either minimal or not at all.

Eating is best done an hour after training. If you plan to practice during the day, then the practice will be beneficial two hours after a meal or an hour before a meal. Your advantage will be slight malnutrition - the body will be fresh and ready for exercise, during which you will realize that you are full.

You can not do such breathing exercises in case of bleeding, glaucoma, high blood pressure.

Bodyflex exercises with Marina Korpan are easy to find on the Internet.

Yoga originates from antiquity and helps not only to feel your body, control emotions and mind, but also to comprehend the spiritual principle. Breathing is one of the steps of yoga.

Yogi breathing exercises use full breathing with consistent muscle tension:

1. The starting position can be any: sitting, standing, lying down. It is important to remember that you need to sit with a straight back and straightened chest. Lie down on a hard surface, breathe only through the nose.
2. A sharp exhalation, while the lower abdomen is drawn in.
3. Inhalation also starts from the lower abdomen, then the upper part goes, the ribs are spread apart and only then the chest expands with a slight rise in the shoulders.
4. Exhalation phase: we draw in the stomach, exhale, lower the ribs and chest.
   Inhalation and exhalation are light and free - as much air as necessary for comfortable breathing should come in. This exercise is mastered gradually: from 20 seconds to 2 minutes a day. Later you can go up to 8-10 minutes a day.

Another type of breathing yoga exercise is cleansing breathing:

1. Inhale as deeply as possible through your nose.
2. Then hold your breath and, after a few seconds, forcefully and rarely exhale a small part of the air through your mouth. At the same time, the cheeks do not swell, and the lips are closed.
3. Again, hold your breath for a second and exhale the second portion.
4. Do this until you exhale all the air. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times a day and you can strengthen the lungs, and, therefore, the whole body.

If this technique turned out to be closer to you than the others, sign up for yoga in your city and, under the supervision of an instructor, do not only breathing practices, but also stretching your muscles. This will positively affect both general well-being and health in general.

For better enrichment of the body with oxygen, abdominal breathing or diaphragmatic breathing is used. At the same time, the chest remains motionless, the stomach protrudes and relaxes on inspiration, and retracts on exhalation.

To understand how to breathe correctly with your stomach, perform the following set of exercises:

1. Lying on the floor, place your right hand on your chest and your left hand on your stomach. Start breathing with your belly, expanding it as you inhale and relaxing as you exhale. The right hand remains motionless. The left one moves up and down.
2. Change the pressure as you exhale. Take a light normal breath, close your lips and slowly exhale the air as if you were calmly blowing on a candle. The abdomen should be drawn in as much as possible.
3. Reverse technique - exhale sharply with the sound "Ha". The sound should come from the lower abdomen.
4. Place a book no more than 1.5 kg on your stomach. Continue breathing while holding your breath for “one-two-three” both on the inhale and on the exhale. This exercise will strengthen your abdominal breathing and abdominal muscles.
5. “Dog”: get on all fours and begin to breathe sharply and quickly from the stomach. This will allow you to better feel the diaphragm and control its operation in the future. Exercise is done for a short time so as not to cause dizziness.

Belly breathing, dynamic exercises and prolonged exhalation are excellent for the treatment and prevention of diseases of the pulmonary system. Breathing exercises for the lungs fit perfectly into several exercises.

1. Exhale into the water. Take a glass of water, put a tube in it, take a normal breath and slowly exhale the air through the tube. Exercise develops the mechanical properties of the lungs, normalizes gas exchange. It is necessary to do no more than five times a day for 10-15 minutes.
2. Hug yourself. Starting position: standing, feet shoulder-width apart, arms spread apart, palms up. We take a breath and as we exhale, we quickly cross our arms in front of us so that the palms hit the shoulder blades. Exhale quickly and loudly.
3. Firewood. We stand on our toes, bend back with our hands raised up, fingers clasped. We take a breath and as we exhale sharply bend down, as if chopping firewood, then return to the starting position. We exhale also strongly and loudly.
4. Skier. Starting position: feet shoulder width apart. We rise on our toes, slightly move the body forward, we also stretch our arms in front of us, as if they were ski poles. On exhalation, we lean down slightly, as if we pushed off, bring our hands as far down and back as possible, and in this position we spring on our feet for 2-3 seconds. We complete the exhalation and return to the starting position with a diaphragmatic breath.