Full Breathing can be developed to a point where it is (almost) automatic. A breathing practice helps to establish deeper connections within and throughout the mind-body(-spirit) complex. The benefits that the individual receives from a breathing practice are life enhancing. Deep breathing can assist in mitigating the effects resulting from various pulmonary challenges. Regularly experiencing the continuity of full breathing facilitates the development of a healthy lifetime goal.
Breathing is an autonomic response; many are not cognizant of the transpiring of this life sustaining action. It is not something that can be physically observed unless given full attention. Like walking is autonomic; that is until the individual stumbles. Breathing is a more subtle act. The body defaults to the least energy demanding action to sustain itself. Breathing is no different. A quadriplegic (depending on location of the spinal injury) breaths in a manner sufficient enough to only sustain life (Barely 16.5% of total lung capacity). Many healthy individuals breath in a similar manner.
Interest in breathing more completely typically develops from pursuing practices that lean toward introspection. Activities like yogic asana, taiji / qigong, meditative walking are vehicles through which a person becomes more physically conscious of the breath. Meditation proper is a more subtle approach to that end. Pranayama, and similar techniques, allow individuals to make the leap to consistently breathing more consciously and conscientiously. A regular pranayama routine will bestow that inner sense of ‘my breathing can be more full, more effective, more efficient’.
There are psychological and physiological benefits that one can derive from a ‘breathing practice. The psychological effects of, pranayama include improved emotional responses, fatigue, stress, and reduced anxiety in cancer patients, as well as in patients with cardiovascular disease. Pranayama practice decreases stress, improves sleep quality, increases mindfulness, improves cognitive performance, reduces high blood pressure, reduces (cigarette) craving, improves lung function, all on the physiological level. The overall effects of breathing fully are far reaching. The ratio of energy expenditure to psycho-physical benefit as relates to breathing reveals that very few (no) other activities can compete.
Specifically, breathing exercises can profoundly effect breathing mechanisms and structures. Cardio-pulmonary maladies could be addressed by utilizing some of the pranayama techniques. The slower types of prāṇāyāma technique have generally elicited improved cardiovascular and autonomic variables. These techniques might be more efficacious in the prevention and the management of cardiovascular disorders. For example, Circumferential Burn of Chest (CBC) evidences substantial changes in pulmonary functions; due to resultant limited movements of rib cage and poor thoracic cage mechanics. Deep slow inspiration techniques in pranayama help to improve the thoracic mobility and pulmonary functions by chest mobilization and activation of the lung fields. More research is needed on the mechanisms that underlie the effectiveness of pranayama to engender cardio-pulmonary wellness and function.
We live in a society whose inhabitants breath unconsciously and shallowly. The everyday person breaths a total of 17,000 to 24,000 breaths per day, on average. Yet the structures associated with with breathing are rarely activated to maximal levels. Engaging in a practice of taking deep, diaphragmatic breathing for 5 to 10 minutes 3 to 4 times daily can extend wonderous psychological and physiological effects to the individual. Being mindful of the bodily state becomes more consistent as the individual regularly engages in a breathing practice.
Ab-Sutra Wellness and Fitness 