Do you know the value of belly breathing?

Belly breathing, or diaphragmatic breathing, is an efficient and calming way to breathe. When a baby first arrives in the world, their natural instinct is to breathe through their belly. 

As adults, the more stressed we get, we tend only to breathe partially. If you do pause to focus on your inhale and exhale, you'll see essential differences in the way you carry yourself and in your mental energy. When belly breathing the vagus nerve gets stimulated, which activates our relaxation response. It puts our nervous system into parasympathetic mode, and as a result the heart rate slows and stress lowers naturally.

How to Do Belly Breathing

​1.​ Sit with your spine straight and your eyes closed. If you can't, find a comfortable, upright position.

​2.​ Place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest.

​3.​ Breathe in through your nose. As you do this, pay attention to your stomach as it expands. It should push against your hand.

​4.​ Then, breathe out through your nose. You will notice that your stomach deflates and relaxes.

​5.​ As you keep your chest relaxed, try to be more conscious of your belly going up and down. The goal is to expand your belly like a balloon and then gently release it.

Practice the above for several minutes a couple of times per day. This technique is particularly good when you feel stressed.

If you would like further body based interventions, contact our team on 6882 7113 to make an appointment with Macquarie Health Collective.