You might think breathing is second nature…you’re doing it right now as you are reading this. Did you know, however, that there are different kinds of breathing and that what is called ‘deep breathing’ can have important health benefits?

Read on to learn three of the most important reasons you should add deep breathing to your daily routine.

Manage Anxiety and Depression

Deep breathing, also known as diaphragmatic breathing, activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is also known as the “rest and digest” system. The job of the parasympathetic nervous system is to conserve energy that is then used for bodily functions like digestion and urination. Deep breathing helps to activate the vagus nerve which oversees mood, digestion, and even heart rate. 

Improve Focus and Reduce Stress

As part of my lifestyle recommendations, I always suggest taking a minute to check in with oneself throughout the day, especially in times of stress or when you feel like you can’t focus; it’s a great way to incorporate deep breathing.

Here’s how: 

Your diaphragm is the small muscle just below your lungs. If you breathe correctly, it contracts and moves downward so your lungs expand to take in fresh air. When you exhale, the opposite occurs, and your diaphragm relaxes and slides further up your chest cavity. 

First, put one hand over your heart and one hand on your abdomen. Breathe in through your nose, allowing the air to fill your belly. Notice how the hand on your stomach moves while the hand on your heart doesn’t. Draw your navel toward your spine as you exhale. If it helps, pretend you are blowing out the candles on your birthday cake. Notice how the hand on your stomach slides back to its original position. Repeat these steps three to five times to start paying particular attention to how you feel after each breath.

This process will improve your focus and lower your stress levels the more you incorporate it into your day. Maybe set an alarm on your phone to stop once in the morning, once during lunch and once in the evening to practice deep breathing. 

Improves Sleep

If you find yourself in high stress situations and suffering from anxiety or depression, then you probably aren’t sleeping very well either. Use these steps to slow yourself down before bed to clear your mind and slow your heart rate. Keep a journal once you begin deep breathing regularly and you may notice that the more you do it the better you find yourself sleeping. 

And just like almost everything in life, there is an app for that! There are several apps available to help you manage your breathing. If you own an Apple Watch, you already have access to a breathing app, perfectly named Breathe. The app will check in with you, prompting you to take one-minute breathing breaks and guiding you when to exhale and inhale. There are other apps available so a quick search in your app store will help you find the one that is right for you. 

The best part about incorporating deep breathing into your daily routine is that you can do it anywhere and nobody even realizes that’s what you are doing. When you know you are going to head into a situation that is stressful or gives you anxiety, practice deep breathing ahead of time and during the event. 

Deep breathing is a fantastic tool for your mental health toolbox so take the time to incorporate it into your daily routine and pay attention to how you feel before and after. Adjust how often and what time of day you might practice deep breathing and watch your body and your mind adapt to that increase in oxygen throughout the day.

The post Three Reasons to Add Deep Breathing to Your Daily Routine appeared first on Tybee Acupuncture.

If you visualize where the lungs are located in the body, you will notice they have the most access to the world outside our bodies. They are the only organs that actually have direct contact with the environment. As such, they have to do with protection and separation from harmful pathogens, both of the physical and emotional variety. The lungs are in charge of what we call “Wei Qi,” in Western terms, the Wei Qi would be our immune system. This Wei Qi forms a protective layer around our bodies, encasing us and acting as a barrier. If the Wei Qi is weak, then you have a person who is constantly sick. If you have a tendency to catch a lot of colds and flus, or seem to always feel run-down and prone to infectious illnesses, your Wei Qi is not doing its job. Fortunately, acupuncture and herbs can build up this Wei Qi, forming a wall of protection against these harmful pathogens.

If you are frequently fatigued or seem to often be out of breath, your lungs may benefit from a tune-up with herbs or acupuncture. Weak lung Qi can result in a soft, timid voice, shallow breathing and poor posture (often people with lung deficiencies seem to be hunched over in a posture of protection). Bronchitis, emphysema and pneumonia are signs your lung energy isn’t strong enough to perform its job of keeping you healthy.

Allergies are another symptom of weak Wei Qi. The pollen (or whatever it is you are allergic to) can easily enter the body if the external barrier is weak, causing all the symptoms of misery that most greatly affect the lungs: sneezing, coughing and runny nose (the lungs also control the nose in Chinese medicine.)

Since the skin is the outermost layer of the body and is controlled by the lung, it is also affected by weakness of the lung. Eczema, rashes and excessively dry skin can all stem from an imbalance of the lungs.

On an emotional level, the lungs are affected by grief. Have you ever noticed someone who can’t let go of tragedy seems to get sick more often? Constant sadness weakens the energy of the lung, lessening its protective function. If the lung Qi is weak to begin with, it will be difficult for a person to let go of their sadness and move on in a healthy way. This type of patient may also be prone to depression.

The post Physical Aspects Related to The Lungs appeared first on Tybee Acupuncture.