Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as belly breathing, is a deeper and more conscious way of breathing in contrast to normal breathing.
Known for fully engaging the lungs and improving their efficiency, diaphragmatic breathing is also known to benefit the heart, lower blood pressure, stress, & anxiety, and improve pelvic floor health.
Join us as we explore how to do diaphragmatic breathing, the benefits and risks of doing it daily, and the various health condition symptoms it can help to relieve.
What is the Diaphragm and What's Its Role in Breathing?
The diaphragm is a large, thin, dome-shaped muscle below the lungs and heart. It is a central respiratory muscle that rhythmically and automatically contracts (tightens) during inhales and relaxes during exhales.
As the diaphragm contracts on each inhale, it creates space for the lungs to fill with air, and as it relaxes on each exhale air is pushed out of the lungs.
Breathing is an automatic process, known in yogic practice as the ‘life force’ because without it we would not remain alive. Despite taking 20,000-25,000 breaths each day most people pay little or no attention to how they breathe. And as people age, breathing gradually gets shallower, becoming what is known as ‘chest breathing’ where the diaphragm is less and less engaged and lung capacity decreases.
On the other hand, diaphragmatic breathing encourages a more present and conscious inhale and exhale. When a habit of diaphragmatic breathing is formed for 5-10 minutes per day, the diaphragm once again becomes more engaged, full oxygen exchange occurs, the heartbeat slows, blood pressure lowers, and stress & anxiety are relieved.
What Conditions Can Diaphragmatic Breathing Help Treat?
Diaphragmatic breathing has been proven helpful in improving respiratory function for patients suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). With COPD, trapped air in the lungs can cause the diaphragm to become stuck or pushed down, which results in a weak diaphragm.
Regularly practicing diaphragmatic breathing can help COPD patients breathe more easily by strengthening the diaphragm and lung capacity.
Although it is also helpful for some people with asthma, diaphragmatic breathing has not proven beneficial for every asthma patient. To start, those with asthma are encouraged to try it with the support of a professional.
In addition to improving respiratory function and boosting lung capacity, diaphragmatic breathing can help relieve stress & anxiety by activating the parasympathetic nervous system and lowering cortisol levels.
When practiced daily, diaphragmatic breathing helps treat depression, PTSD, eating disorders, PMS, menopause, migraines, and hypertension, as well as the day-to-day stress of balancing work, life, and family.
The diaphragm also engages the abdominal, intercostal, and pelvic floor muscles, which makes diaphragmatic breathing a valuable treatment for improving posture by enhancing core stability. Due to the muscular connection this form of conscious ‘belly breathing’ enhances, diaphragmatic breathing is equally beneficial for treating pelvic floor dysfunction.
What is The Pelvic Floor?
The pelvic floor is a set of intertwining muscles and tissue that stretch like a protective sling from one sit bone to the other and from the pubic bone at the front of the pelvis to the tailbone at the back.
In connection with the ‘core’ and back muscles, the pelvic floor muscles help support the spine, maintain pressure within the abdomen, aid in childbirth, and support the pelvic organs.
The bladder, bowel, rectum, anus, urethra, uterus, and vagina are all supported by the pelvic floor muscles. For example, when peeing, pooping, or passing gas, the pelvic floor muscles relax to allow the urethra and anus to open and then contract to close the same openings. If the pelvic floor muscles are not functioning correctly, women can experience incontinence, diarrhea, or constipation.
Pelvic floor health is also vital for sexual function and arousal. Women experiencing dyspareunia (pain during sex), for example, often have tight pelvic floor muscles and women with weak pelvic floor muscles can experience less sexual arousal and fewer orgasms.
What Is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
Along with the movement of the diaphragm with each breath, the pelvic floor muscles also move. During an inhale, for instance, the diaphragm moves down, causing the pelvic floor to also drop and stretch slightly. On each exhale, the diaphragm moves up and causes the pelvic floor muscles to lift.
Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when the pelvic floor muscles become weak or too tight to function correctly and support the pelvic organs. This dysfunction can affect a person’s ability to release or hold urine and feces, or diminish sexual pleasure due to a lack of vaginal support.
Pregnancy, childbirth, aging, menopause, chronic coughing, heavy lifting, obesity, and pelvic surgery are known causes of weak pelvic floor muscles. Whereas, pelvic floor muscles often tighten or contract due to pelvic injuries, or chronic pelvic pain associated with conditions like endometriosis, bacterial vaginosis, vaginismus, or vulvodynia.
How Does Diaphragmatic Breathing Help Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
Quick and shallow chest breathing, which is the way most people normally breathe, does not allow the pelvic floor muscles to fully relax and contract. Due to the lack of this necessary muscle mobility, the pelvic floor muscles can lose their elasticity over time.
However, learning to coordinate these muscles during diaphragmatic breathing, can rebuild strength and restore their flexibility for better support and function.
Slow, deep, conscious, breathing essentially allows the pelvic floor muscles to completely rest and fully contract on each inhale and exhale. This can be helpful to relax tight pelvic floor muscles due to chronic pain and strengthen weak pelvic floor muscles to avoid urine leaks and pelvic prolapse after childbirth.
How to Do Diaphragmatic Breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing can be done lying down or while sitting. Below, we’ve outlined how to do each.
Lying Down
- Lie on your back, either on a rug or yoga mat on the floor or on a bed with the knees bent and feet on the surface beneath you.
- Let one hand rest on your chest and the other hand rest on your abdomen to connect with the movement of the diaphragm as you breathe
- Inhale slowly and steadily through the nose (trying not to force it) and feel the air raising your belly under your hand
- The hand on your chest should remain still
- As you exhale through pursed lips, you should feel the abdominal muscles engage and the hand on your belly fall back to its starting position
- Tighten your abdominal muscles and let them fall inward as you exhale through pursed lips. The hand on your belly should move down to its original position.
- Allowing tension, stress, tightness, or anxiety to release with each exhale, continue to breathe like this for 5-10 minutes
- Build up to practicing a few times per day for 5-10 minutes each time
Although lying down for diaphragmatic breathing is recommended for beginners before trying it while sitting, either is good as long as it feels comfortable.
While Sitting
- Sitting comfortably in a chair with the knees bent and feet resting on the floor, allow the shoulders and neck to relax
- Let one hand rest on your chest and the other hand rest on your abdomen to connect with the movement of the diaphragm as you breathe
- Inhale slowly through the nose feeling the hand on your belly rise as the lungs expand with air, while the hand on your chest remains still
- As you exhale through pursed lips, feel the abdominals contracting and the belly moving inward
- Once again, the hand on the chest remains still
- Repeat for 5-10 minutes daily
Is Diaphragmatic Breathing Easy?
While it is not difficult, diaphragmatic breathing can be somewhat challenging and tiring to begin with. However, this is simply because it is a different way of breathing that requires more focus. If you stick with it and practice daily, diaphragmatic breathing becomes easier and you’ll notice the benefits very quickly.
How Often Can You Do Diaphragmatic Breathing?
For beginners, 5-10 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing is recommended per day. However, this can be increased gradually once you become used to the practice and feel the benefits. Many people who use diaphragmatic breathing to improve lung capacity and pelvic floor function, or relieve stress and chronic pain, do so several times a day.
Conclusion
Although breathing deeply and fully is something we all take for granted, many people succumb to shallow chest breathing as they age, stress about life, and manage distressing health conditions.
If you are suffering from breathing problems, chronic pain, stress, anxiety, or pelvic floor dysfunction speak with your healthcare provider about starting diaphragmatic breathing.
Although diaphragmatic breathing can help treat several conditions linked to breathing issues, pelvic dysfunction, chronic pain, stress, and anxiety, it is not a replacement for medication. Ideally, it is practiced in connection with other recommended treatments.
References
Breathe - The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human - https://breathe.ersjournals.com/content/13/4/298
National Library of Medicine - Effects of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Health: A Narrative Review - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7602530/
National Library of Medicine - Diaphragm adaptations in patients with COPD - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2248576/
Cleveland Clinic – Pelvic Floor Dysfunction - https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14459-pelvic-floor-dysfunction
National Association for Incontinence – How to Relax Your Pelvic Floor - https://nafc.org/bhealth-blog/how-to-relax-your-pelvic-floor/