Breathing is the first thing that we do when we enter this planet and the last before we leave and we all know that we need to carry on breathing in order to carry on living, but have you ever given any though on the fact that you can breath your way to a much happier, calmer and healthier life?

As a rule we tend not to pay too much attention to our breathing unless we have trained ourselves to do so and that is normally related to activities such as meditation, yoga, or being a star athlete.

The wonderful act of breathing has however been proved to be more than just a life sustaining action, it can also be a great way in which we can relieve anxiety and stress, strengthen our health, promote healthy sleep and even manage pain and so much more.

Between birth and death the average person takes about half a billion breaths.

Here is how breathing aids you during times of stress:

As soon as your body experiences a stressful situation the sympathetic nervous system in your body activates a series of events that leads to you wanting to react in the typical "fight-or-flight" manner, your body secretes adrenaline giving you a sudden burst of energy in order to make it possible for you to get away from danger, it is during this time that you will notice that your breathing becomes more rapid and shallow, this can very easily lead to you feeling short of breath as is often the case when you are faced with frustration anger or anxiety. Your body also starts to produce cortisol and epinephrine (also known as adrenaline), and this cocktail leads to increased blood pressure as your body prepares itself for whatever the perceived threat is that lies ahead. At this point your pulse will be pumping at a much higher rate than normal.

By practicing core based deep breathing you can reverse all these symptoms and reinstate a sense of calmness in your body and mind by coaxing your body into believing that the threat has gone your body will stop producing an excess of hormones and your fight or flight instinct will settle down leaving you in a position to deal with your situation in a rational clear headed manner. Your heart rate as well as your blood pressure will go back to normal due to the stimulating effect that deep breathing has on the vagus nerve ( the main nerve in the parasympathetic nervous system )

Also by breathing from the core of your diaphragm in stead of the upper chest your body can more efficiently exchange oxygen whilst giving the muscles in your upper body time to relax.

Tomorrow I will be posting an article on some deep breathing exercises that will aid you attain a better physical, mental and emotional life.

I hope that you have enjoyed this article.