Diaphragmatic Breathing;what it is and why you need to do it?

Diaphragmatic breathing is when you use the diaphragm and abdominal muscles to breath rather than just using the upper chest.
 
The normal breath cycle is started by the diaphragm contracting and moving down. This causes the air pressure in the chest to become negative. Air is forced into this negative area of pressure and the lungs expand into the available space.
The diaphragm is also helped by the intercostal muscles which lie between your ribs and the muscles which attach the clavicle (the scalenes and sternocleidomastoid), help to lift the clavicle to further aid respiration.

With the added pressure today to have the perfect body and flat stomach, women instinctively pull their stomachs in. This increase in tension of the abdominal wall transfers to the pelvic floor and the diaphragm and stops them from descending properly during breathing. 

Why diaphragmatically breathe?

There are many benefits of breathing using your diaphragm. Diaphragmatic breathing forms the basis of many breath focussed practices such as yoga, meditation and mindfulness.
Breathing is part of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), meaning that it happens without us having to remember to do it. The ANS is made up of the parasympathetic and the sympathetic nervous system. 
The parasympathetic nervous system is in charge of everyday processes while the sympathetic nervous system regulates our fight or flight responses which can be switched on by stress.
Diaphragmatic breathing has been shown to positively effect many of our body systems including those of the ANS.
 
Benefits such as:

• Lowering heart rate
• Increasing oxygenation which helps with tissue recovery
• Helping relaxation
• Regulating blood pressure
• Reducing stress hormones 
• Reducing pain

How do you breathe?

• Sit comfortably in a relaxed posture
• Place a hand on your upper chest and one on your stomach
• Take a normal breath in through your nose and feel which hand rises. If your hand on your chest rises more than your hand on your stomach, then you are a chest breather and would benefit from doing the breathing exercises explained below.

How to diaphragmatically breath

• Sit comfortably in a relaxed posture
• Place a hand on your upper chest and one on your stomach
• Take a breath in through your nose for the count of 4 seconds, aiming for the air to move down into your abdomen and for that hand to rise
• Breath out for the count of 6 seconds through your mouth aiming for all of the air to be expelled from your lungs
• Repeat this breath cycle for 5-15 minutes

Uses for diaphragmatic breathing in women’s healtH

Diaphragmatic breathing can be very beneficial for many women’s health issues.
The diaphragm descends in unison with the pelvic floor when you take a deep breath in. This can help reduce an overactive pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is made up of muscles, which like others can become tight.
 
An overactive pelvic floor can have impact such as:

• Difficulty emptying your bowels
• Difficulty fully emptying bladder 
• Urinary urgency or frequency
• Inability to have sex or painful sex
• Pelvic pain referred from your pelvic floor

 
Diaphragmatic breathing can also help with constipation. When sitting correctly on the toilet with your feet raised on a stool the allow the pelvic floor to fully relax, this breathing technique can help calm and massage the system allowing for easier passing of the stool. This avoids any straining or bearing down.