Why do you need to do Deep Breathing Exercises?
Ageing causes depletion in oxygen levels in the blood by as much as 20%. This affects normal breathing as well, which saps you of your energy, making you tired and exhausted the older you get. It causes stiffness in the rib cage and surrounding muscles, making inhaling all the more difficult.
Ageing also results in rapid and shallow breathing, which may lead to heart disease, respiratory problems and lethargy. That is why you need to do deep breathing exercises.
Deep Breathing Exercises: Belly Breath Exercises
These deep breathing exercises cleanse the lungs, increase energy levels and decrease tension. Here’s how to do them.
– Lie perfectly flat on your back, try to feel your breathing. If needed, tuck a small pillow under the neck to make it easier for you.
– Now position your palms on your stomach, below your rib cage, with middle fingers slightly touching each other, take slow, deep breaths. Inhale and exhale, as deeply and slowly as you can. This causes the stomach to expand and the fingers to separate.
– This deep breathing exercise makes full use of the lungs, and is a perfect example of how breathing has to be done, unlike the puffed up chest breathing, which is often mistaken as a deep breathing exercise.
You should practice the above routine for 5 minutes a day.
Deep Breathing Exercises: Humming Breath Exercises
Follow the steps given in the earlier example of deep breathing exercises, the Belly Breath Exercise. Now as you exhale slowly, make “Hummm” sound. Make that humming sound for as long as you can. Pull in your stomach muscles, allow for a few more seconds of humming’s. Relax. Practice this routine for 5 minutes a day.
Deep Breathing Exercises: Chinese Breath Exercises
This is an excellent deep breathing exercise which has its origin in the Chinese Tai Chi Chuan. There are 3 short inhales, which are done through the nose, while not. The arms are lifted from the sides in the forward direction in the first inhale till they are at shoulder height, they are opened at the next inhale and in the last inhale, arms are held lifted straight over the head. While exhaling, arms are brought back in an arc back in the original position, down to the sides.
This deep breathing exercise really opens you up and relaxes you, but be cautious when you just start doing it, as you wouldn’t want to suffer from light headedness. If so, stop it for now and do it again the next day.
You may do this deep breathing exercise for 5 minutes a day.
Warning: Never do shallow breathing or panting, especially when sitting on a chair. This warning is particularly for older people.
