You take an average of 20,000 breaths daily and your respiratory muscles are working every minute! In order to understand this fascinating system, think of a tree. Your windpipe (or trachea) is like the trunk of the tree, with the airways being like the branches. The leaves of our respiratory “tree” are the alveoli (or air sacs) at the ends of the bronchioles. It is in these air sacs that oxygen is passed into the bloodstream and pumped throughout the body, as well as removing the carbon dioxide through exhalation. Your diaphragm works in conjunction with your respiratory system to move your chest up and down to allow your lungs to expand.
Now that you know more about how your breathing works, let’s talk about why you need to take a deep breath or two right now:
- Deep breathing is more efficient because it allows your body to fully exchange the outgoing carbon dioxide for the incoming oxygen.
- Deep breaths help to slow your heart beat and blood pressure.
- Taking a deep breath can reduce the stress levels in your body.
To correctly take a deep breath, get comfortable, take a deep breath through your nose, let your stomach expand, and then exhale fully. Did you do it? If so, you might already be feeling a reduction in your stress levels and your muscles relax throughout your body.
Taking time to breath deeply will help to long-term strengthen your respiratory system, as well as generally reduce the build up of stress hormones within your body! If you experience difficulty breathing, especially taking deep breaths through your nose, Dr. Barker might be able to help. As a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon, with prior Head and Neck Surgery training, Dr. Barker is equipped to perform rhinoplasty focused on improving your ability to breath deeply! Call us today for a consultation.