Are your breathing patterns getting in the way of vitality?
Breathing is something that most people take for granted. However, establishing the proper breathing patterns has proven to help performance, reduce fatigue, and even give a jolt to the immune system. For those looking to improve their health and increase their wellness, focusing on creating the proper breathing techniques will do a considerable amount of good.
What follows are a few tips that will help you recognize your breathing patterns and make the corrections necessary to feel better and be healthier.
Mouth Breathing is a Recent Phenomenon
There are several symptoms of improper breathing, but one of the most important is the emphasis on breathing through the mouth. People tend to breathe through the mouth because they are not getting enough oxygen to the lungs. It’s one thing to mouth-breathe when your nose is stuffed up, but quite another if you have clear nasal passages.
Frequent mouth breathing, especially when you have not exerted yourself, is a sign that you may not have established good breathing patterns. For most people, breathing through the mouth is more of a bad habit and something that can be corrected with the proper training. However, you may want to visit your doctor to ensure that you do not have a medical condition which is causing mouth breathing to occur.
Breathing Through the Nose is Optimal for Overall Vitality
When you breathe through your nose, you can better regulate the pattern of your inhalation of air. This means that you can take in more oxygen and relax better compared to mouth breathing. It also takes less mental focus to breathe through the nose, so you should try to do that at all times.
You should also try to breathe with your diaphragm instead of just your chest. You’ll know when you are using your diaphragm when your torso or belly expands with each breath and not just your chest. This means that you are taking in deeper breaths as a result.
There may be times when breathing through the mouth cannot be avoided, but you should try to limit that as much as possible.
Athletes Perform Better when Breathing Patterns are Optimized
If you watch the Olympics or other top-level sport, you’ll notice that the athletes will focus on breathing through the nose when they can. When they breathe through the mouth, it is generally a sign of great fatigue. By controlling their breathing patterns, they can run longer distances, stay calm, and perform better on the field as a result.
We shallow breathe into our chest rather than the diaphragm when we are stressed. When the body is stressed, it is more prone to infections and illness as a result.
“Correct breathing both relies on and results in the right amount of carbon dioxide being retained in your lungs.” – Dr. Patrick McKeown, author of “The Oxygen Advantage”
For better health and wellness, understanding your breathing pattern and making improvements helps to increase performance, reduce fatigue, and even boost your immune system. You can help lead a healthier life when you understand the importance of breathing properly and getting into good patterns of inhaling and exhaling.
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