Diaphragmatic breathing exercises
To breathe more consciously with the diaphragm there are some exercises. If possible, find a quiet place to consciously perceive the diaphragmatic breathing. Exercise 1: Lie down flat on the floor or sit upright on a chair, put your hand on your stomach and breathe deeply into your stomach so that you feel the abdominal wall rising and falling.
Repeat this exercise a few times, you can try to let the abdominal wall bulge a little bit more with each breath. If you feel dizzy or pain, stop the exercise. Exercise 2: As an enhancement to exercise 1, you can lay books on your stomach as additional weight while lying down.
This also trains abdominal breathing when you try to breathe deeply into your abdomen again, so that the books are raised and lowered. Start with lightweight books, an increase is always possible. Exercise 3: If you have problems “adjusting” the chest breathing, you can use a belt to help you.
You can fasten this belt around your chest. Then follow the instructions as in Exercise 1. You can of course also practice diaphragmatic breathing in everyday life. Just take a short walk inside yourself no matter where you are, maybe put your hand on your stomach and breathe deep into your stomach and out again. This topic might also interest you: Breathing exercises
Cooperation of diaphragmatic breathing with chest breathing
Both diaphragmatic and thoracic breathing help with inhalation.Due to the muscles between the ribs (intercostal muscles), the individual ribs are displaced upwards, the chest expands overall. Inhalation creates a negative pressure in the pleural gap, which separates the lungs from the pleura, allowing the lungs to follow the expansion of the ribcage and thus allowing air to flow into the lungs. The diaphragm also contracts during inhalation, flattens towards the abdomen, the organs in the abdomen are displaced and the volume in the thorax is also increased.
Problems with diaphragmatic breathing
There are several reasons why diaphragmatic breathing can be restricted. The diaphragm itself can be inflamed, which is called diaphragmitis. The cause can be other inflammations in close proximity such as peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum), pleuritis (inflammation of the pleura) or pericarditis (inflammation of the pericardium).
The diaphragm is painful and abdominal breathing is difficult. But other causes also lead to the restriction of diaphragmatic breathing. Over-inflated intestinal loops, diaphragmatic hernia or hernia, diaphragmatic hypertension or chronic coughing can lead to restricted breathing. Paraplegia in the area of the exit point of the diaphragmatic nerve (nervus phrenicus) or an inoperable nerve is particularly serious. If this is the case, the diaphragm can no longer serve as a breathing muscle.
