From the Guidelines
Belly breathing, also known as diaphragmatic breathing, is a sign that someone is utilizing their diaphragm muscle to breathe, rather than relying on shallow chest breathing. This type of breathing is characterized by the expansion of the abdomen during inhalation, as the diaphragm contracts and moves downward, creating more space in the chest cavity for the lungs to fill with air 1. When practicing belly breathing, the abdomen rises while the chest remains relatively still, allowing for a more efficient exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Some key points to note about belly breathing include:
- It is the body's natural breathing pattern
- It helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the relaxation response
- It can deliver more oxygen to the bloodstream
- It can reduce stress and anxiety
- It can lower blood pressure
- It can improve core muscle stability As noted in the ats/ers statement on respiratory muscle testing, abdominal motion can be taken as an index of diaphragmatic descent, and thoracoabdominal motion provides a visual index of respiratory muscle function 1. To practice belly breathing, one can place one hand on their chest and another on their abdomen, then breathe in slowly through their nose, allowing their abdomen to rise while keeping their chest relatively still, and exhale slowly through pursed lips, feeling their abdomen fall.
From the Research
Definition of Belly Breathing
- Belly breathing, also known as diaphragmatic breathing, is a type of breathing that engages the diaphragm, the muscle that separates the chest and abdominal cavities 2.
- This type of breathing is characterized by the expansion of the belly, rather than the chest, during inhalation.
Effects of Belly Breathing
- Diaphragmatic breathing has been shown to have various health benefits, including improving exercise capacity and respiratory function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 2.
- It may also help reduce stress, treat eating disorders, chronic functional constipation, hypertension, migraine, and anxiety, and improve the quality of life of patients with cancer and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) 2.
- Additionally, belly breathing may improve cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with heart failure 2.
Relationship to Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- Pulmonary rehabilitation, which includes breathing exercises such as diaphragmatic breathing, has been shown to improve physical performance and quality of life in patients with COPD and asthma 3, 4, 5.
- Virtual reality-complemented pulmonary rehabilitation, which may include belly breathing exercises, has also been found to improve lung function, exercise capacity, dyspnea, and health status in patients with COPD 6.