The 4 Types of Breathing (and How to Learn Them in Meditation)

We all know that breathing is a vital activity for human beings, and not only because it allows us to stay alive. There are other ways in which this everyday activity influences us.

Yes, we are aerobic beings and we have the need to capture oxygen from the environment and exchange it for carbon dioxide in our lungs, but there is no single correct way to inhale and exhale. exist types of breathing alternatives.

Main types of breathing

It is possible to use different criteria to define types of breathing. For example, we can differentiate by the main component that is captured from the atmosphere, or classify it according to the mechanism used to proceed with gas exchange. But this time I will talk about the different breathing control techniques and
its benefits on our health

With the current pace of life we ​​are not aware that
we perform incorrect breathing We tend to breathe quickly and shallowly, without making the most of our lung capacity. Associated with this fact is the appearance of different health problems common in large metropolises, such as stress and anxiety, which in turn make breathing exercise even more difficult.

Correct breathing is key to
have good health In the West the exercise of breathing has never been given much importance than sustaining our existence, but in the East we do find this. Specifically with the discipline of yoga, where they give great importance to correct conscious breathing to have good health of our body and mind.

1. Diaphragmatic or abdominal breathing

This type of breathing is based on the movement of the
diaphragm, the concave-shaped muscle that separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity and is responsible for the activity of breathing. When you breathe in, the lungs they fill little by little with air, pushing on the diaphragm, which in turn pushes the organs in the abdominal cavity, giving the sensation that the belly is swelling. For this reason it is also known as abdominal breathing

When you exhale, the lungs empty of air and take up less space, remaining in a more restricted area. The diaphragm returns to its initial position. In yoga it is known as low breathing.

Tips to practice it

It is recommended that to begin it is best to do it lying on your back, and as you master the technique, move on to other postures, such as sitting or standing. You have to be comfortable, with your hands on your abdomen, and do the breathing exercise with your nose.

During exercise it is also advisable to speak (for example using the expression OM), since sound vibrations help control the speed and rhythm of inhalations and exhalations, in addition to having a relaxing effect on the rib cage.

Health benefits

This type of breathing allows
expand the filling capacity of the lungs, which promotes good blood oxygenation. The impulse of movement produced by the diaphragm promotes blood flow and stimulates the movement of the heart. The constant activity of the diaphragm provides a good massage to the organs of the abdominal cavity, promoting intestinal transit.

Furthermore, it acts on the
solar plexus a nerve network located at the beginning of the ventral aorta artery, having a relaxing effect and reducing anxiety and the feeling of a “stomach knot”.

2. Costal or thoracic breathing

This type of breathing is based on
rib separation for an expansion of the thoracic cavity. This occurs when the middle part of the lung is filled, something that is achieved once the lower part has been filled thanks to diaphragmatic breathing. This type of breathing is done very frequently without realizing it. In yoga it is known as medium breathing

Tips to practice it

The recommended position for this type of breathing is sitting, with your back straight but without straining, and placing your hands on your ribs.

Health benefits

Practiced together with diaphragmatic breathing, it helps to improve lung capacity and provide a
relaxing effect

3. Clavicle breathing

In this type of breathing we focus on
the highest part of the lung, which is smaller in volume than the previous ones, so it captures less air. On inhalation it appears that the collarbones rise, hence the name. In yoga it is high breathing.

This type of breathing can be seen in people who are suffering from an anxiety or nervous attack, having short and rapid inspirations and exhalations, since they have a blockage of the diaphragm due to emotional causes. Also
predominates in pregnant women especially in the last months, when the baby occupies most of the abdominal cavity and does not allow the diaphragm to work correctly.

Tips to practice it

To begin, in a sitting position, we cross our arms, placing our hands on our ribs.

Health benefits

This breathing alone has no benefit and is rather poor in ventilation. But it becomes important in the last control technique that I will now talk about.

4. Complete breathing

This type of breathing, also known
yogic breathing is the purpose of mastering the three aforementioned techniques, and is the unification of all of them, in search of conscious control of breathing.

Tips to practice it

This exercise can be done both lying down and sitting, although if you are a beginner it is always better to do it lying down. The activity must be done in a relaxed way, breathing through the nose, and the loud pronunciation of the expression OM can help.

• empty the lungs with a deep exhale.
• Slow inspiration begins by descent of the diaphragm (diaphragmatic breathing).
• Continue breathing in air dilating the ribs (costal breathing).
• Keep inspiring while you raise your collarbones (clavicular breathing).
• Hold your breath for a moment.
• Relaxed exhalation begins the opposite of inspiration that is, causing the air to come out first from the upper part, followed by the middle and finally from the lower part of the lungs.
• Hold for a few seconds no air in the lungs and the cycle begins again.

As you have seen, this type of breathing
It is carried out in three phases to inhale and another three to exhale, since it is the combination of the other breathing techniques. Yoga experts recommend doubling the length of time you exhale compared to inhale.

Health benefits

Being the sum of the other types of breathing, the aforementioned benefits are maintained, that is, lung capacity is increased, better blood oxygenation, blood circulation is stimulated and the heart is toned.

Furthermore, it presents other benefits such as training in self-control, and provides serenity and concentration