Did you know that breathing significantly contributes to keeping you healthy? No?
Det är inte så många som tänker på det men andningen har massor av positiva effekter på din hälsa. Bland annat kan du stärka immunförsvaret genom att andas. Men det kräver att du andas rätt!
Many write about the positive effects that breathing has on our health. Let's take a closer look at how breathing can have such a significant impact on your immune system and, consequently, your health.
Here's how breathing supports your immune system:
1. Increased oxygenation
When air passes through the nose, large amounts of nitric oxide are produced, which dilates the blood vessels in the lungs and allows more oxygen to be transferred to the blood. Oxygen, in turn, is crucial for your body to efficiently produce energy and for your cells to function optimally, ultimately supporting your immune system.
2. Promotes detoxification
When you breathe deeply, the diaphragm, a muscle just below the lungs that assists in pumping air in and out during deep breathing, moves up and down. This action massages, among other things, the liver and lymphatic system, which work to eliminate toxins and harmful substances from your body, thereby promoting health and well-being.
3. Stimulates antibodies
When you breathe deeply, it helps the body to create a good pH balance. This enhances the function of antibodies used by the immune system to detect infections, allowing infections to be disarmed more quickly and efficiently.
4. Reduced oxidation
When you breathe incorrectly, you take in too much oxygen relative to carbon dioxide. Even though it may sound contradictory to what you've heard before, the body needs a certain amount of carbon dioxide to keep blood vessels supple and assist oxygen in entering cells.
When you have an excessive amount of oxygen compared to carbon dioxide, free oxygen radicals are formed, leading to "rusting" effects. To address the damage, the body increases the level of inflammation, putting a strain on your immune system. With proper breathing, oxidation (the "rusting" process) decreases, consequently reducing the amount of inflammation.
5. Warms inhaled air
Inhaling cold air through the mouth strains the trachea, prompting the immune system to repair damage. Breathing through the nose allows air to be warmed and filtered through your nose hairs, enabling the immune system to focus its energy elsewhere.
6. Decreases fundamental stress
The body has an innate ability to always prioritize what is essential to keep you alive and, to the best extent possible, optimize your health. Since we can only survive for a very short time without oxygen, the body will always prioritize getting as much oxygen as possible to your cells.
Breathing improperly results in both insufficient oxygen intake and requires your body to exert extra energy to distribute oxygen to different body parts. This stresses your body and can eventually lead to exhausted adrenal glands as they need to produce large amounts of cortisol to suppress inflammation. Deep breathing ensures your body receives an adequate supply of oxygen, allowing it to allocate energy to other functions, thereby reducing the foundational stress in your body.
Many discuss the positive effects that breathing have on our health and how it can strengthen our immune system. Among them, Anders Olsson explores the subject in his book "Conscious Breathing – the Foundation for Health, Energy, and Harmony" (2019) and on his website. hemsida
What is correct and incorrect breathing?
With incorrect breathing, I refer to a less functional breathing that hinders your health, while correct breathing denotes a more efficient breathing that actually aids your health.
Incorrect breathing is commonly referred to as mouth breathing or shallow breathing. It involves breathing through the mouth, causing the upper part of the chest to rise and fall. Sometimes even the shoulders may be involved in the movement. In addition to the points we have discussed above, this type of breathing also strains the muscles in the shoulders, throat, and neck. As these muscles are not designed to handle breathing, it often results in stiffness.
Correct breathing is what is commonly referred to as nose breathing or deep breathing. That is when breathing occurs through the nose and reaches all the way down to the lower part of the lungs. During deep breathing, the diaphragm is activated, causing the abdomen to gently expand in all directions while the chest remains relatively still (but not completely).
Breathing exercise for deep breathing
When you are not used to it, it may initially feel challenging to get the air deep into your lungs. It is entirely normal and will become easier with some practice. You didn't lift the heaviest weights the first time you went to the gym either, so consider it a health journey to strengthen your immune system.
Start by practicing deep breathing when you are at rest:
1. Sit down or lie on your back.
2. Place one hand on your abdomen (and, if you like, another on your chest) to ensure you see the movement in your abdomen as you breathe.
3. Close your mouth and let the air flow in through your nose, filling your lungs.
4. Imagine that the air is going all the way down to your belly. Aim for the pelvic floor or behind the navel.
5. Observe how the hand on your abdomen rises.
6. Slowly exhale
7. Take a few more deep breaths.
You can do this excercise while sitting on the train, in traffic, in front of the TV, waiting for the coffee machine, taking a short break at work, or whenever you feel like it.
Next breathing challenge
When you have mastered breathing at rest, it's time to take the next step to incorporate deep breathing into your daily life when you are in motion. Try the same deep breathing when you:
- Go for a relaxed stroll
- Engage in a powerwalk
- Go for a jog
- Exercise
- Focus on reading, cooking, or completing a work task
As part of a morning and evening routine
Deep breathing for 1-3 minutes is a fantastic way to start and end the day. I recommend doing it together with a brief gratitude exercise, and you'll have a wonderful morning and evening routine that only takes 5-10 minutes but will benefit your health immensely!
In summary
Strengthening the immune system is a key aspect of maintaining overall health. By consciously adopting proper breathing techniques, you can give your body a powerful boost. Therefore, be sure to explore different breathing exercises and find the ones that suit you best. Your health and immune system will thank you!
January 2024
