It might sound simple, but on an unconscious level, it is not. Many of us have grown habitual to shallow breathing. That is, we take small breaths that use only a portion of our lung’s capacity. But with practice, as well as consciousness (awareness) we can train of bodies to breathe deeply without even thinking about it.

Benefits of Deeper Breathing

Breathing is the source of life. The moment we are pulled from the womb and released into the world we take our first full breath of oxygen. But as we grow older, our primal physical functioning tends to taper. Unfortunately for many, strong breathing using the full lung’s capacity is often hindered.

Training yourself to breathe from the bottom of your lungs has a number of benefits. Not only does better breathing help from a physical perspective, but it also contributes to greater stability of our emotions and enhanced sharpness of the mind. There are two great things that happen to the body when we breathe to our fullest.

The more obvious of the two is increased oxygen. More air flowing into our lungs promotes better delivery of oxygen throughout the body. This results in many benefits in its own such as improved healing capabilities and better brain functioning.

The second physical benefit of taking deeper breaths stems from the muscles that control the diaphragm. These muscles, such as the intercostals muscles, correlate to proper core functioning, and thus influence other important movements of the body, even walking and running. When these muscles remain idle due to chronic shallow breathing habits, inhibited core functioning is the result. This can lead to improper mobility which can later result in a confusing cause of injury.

Our minds and emotions are also greatly impacted by our breathing habits. Aside from the biological aspects of more oxygen going to the brain, many find greater breathing to contribute to a higher sense of awareness. When we feel ourselves taking in slow, deep breaths, we are more in-tune with ourselves. This can help us in many ways, both spiritually and for greater peace of mind.

Improving Your Breathing Subconsciously

In order to improve upon almost anything subconsciously (or without having to focus or be aware) one must practice at the conscious level. When it comes to deeper breathing, sometimes it takes more than just paying close attention.

You can significantly achieve better breathing habits by taking ten minutes out of day to simply breathe. Dedicate this time to consciously breathe while resting comfortably on the floor. Be mindful of every deep breath you take. You can even experiment with taking in a breath, holding it in, and pushing the air to different areas of your diaphragm. This can help you realize better control of your intercostals as well as other parts of your body.

The essence of deeper breathing is the foundation to many practices, such as Yoga and several forms of meditation. It is the center of life as well as the center of our bodies. To take deeper breaths habitually, one must become more aware, so start on your path to deeper breathing on a more subconscious level.