How to Breathe Properly

Breathing properly means more than inhaling and exhaling, or delivering oxygen to the lungs and expelling carbon dioxide. Sure, we may breathe without much thought; but many of us are improperly breathing more than we think. Follow these steps to learn how to breathe properly and thus introduce more oxygen into the body as well as reduce its carbon dioxide buildup.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Patience
• Time

1. Determine whether you're breathing improperly. Take a deep breath and watch your chest, stomach and shoulders. If your chest puffs out, your shoulders rise and you suck in your stomach, then you're breathing with only the top portion of your lungs.
2. Lie down on the floor to avoid slouching. Lying on the floor will also help you see and feel the process of breathing properly, without crouching over your torso.
3. Place your hands on your stomach just above the navel and below the breastbone, or sternum.
4. Take a deep breath. Notice if your hands move or if your chest moves. Breathe out. Again, watch the movement of your hands and chest.
5. Take in another deep breath through your nose, but this time expand your diaphragm, keep your chest from expanding and watch your hands rise on your stomach. Remember to breathe in slowly.
6. Exhale through your mouth. Slowly release the air and watch your hands sink into your stomach. Your chest and shoulders should remain relatively still.
7. Repeat this process until you can perform this type of breathing automatically.
8. Read an instructional book like Donna Farhi's "The Breathing Book: Good Health and Vitality Through Essential Breath Work" for more information.
9. Consult people who know how to breathe properly. Yoga and Pilates instructors, as well as trained singers, have been taught how to breathe for maximum effect and efficiency.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient and be persistent in your attempts to correct your breathing. You're trying to train your body to perform an entirely different function. Your goal is to make this new breathing process automatic.
• Serious breathing and lung conditions like asthma or bronchitis should be treated by a medical professional.
• Before you start any alternative medical technique, be aware that many have not been scientifically evaluated. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Each state and each discipline has its own rules about how alternative medicine practitioners can be professionally licensed. If you decide to visit one, choose one licensed by a recognized national organization. Consult your primary health care provider about your decision first. Keep your doctor informed about the alternative medical technique you undertake.