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SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | JULY 2026 11 By Karen Range, Resident Healthy adults take about 17,000 to 30,000 breaths per day. Breathing is such a natural function; we generally breathe without thinking about it. However, did you know that when we do think about breathing and do it intentionally, it can bring many benets and enhance our lives and well-being? Normal breathing, the breathing that happens without thought, is called Eupnea. It is also known as quiet breathing. Eupnea is the medical term for normal, quiet, and eortless breathing. It is the natural resting state of respiration, requiring no conscious thought or muscular strain. ere are three other types of breathing: Costal, also called shallow breathing, Hyperpnea, also called forced breathing, and Diaphragmatic, also called deep or slow breathing. For this article, the focus will be on Diaphragmatic breathing. is type of breathing is also known as abdominal relaxed, or belly breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing is important because the diaphragm plays an essential role in breathing, by contracting when you inhale and relaxing when you exhale. Over time or with certain health conditions, the diaphragm can weaken and make breathing more dicult. So keeping the diaphragm strong is essential for avoiding and alleviating breathing problems that can worsen issues like depression and anxiety. Here are instructions for performing Diaphragmatic breathing: 1. Get comfortable: Lie at on your back with your knees bent (use a pillow under your knees for support) or sit tall in a supportive chair. 2. Place your hands: Put one hand on your upper chest and the other on your stomach (just below your rib cage) to monitor your breathing. 3. Inhale: Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose. e hand on your belly should rise, while the hand on your chest should stay completely still. 4. Exhale: Breathe out slowly through pursed lips (as if you are gently blowing bubbles or cooling hot soup). You should feel the hand on your stomach sink downward. If your abdomen expands while your chest remains relatively still, then you are performing diaphragmatic breathing correctly. Diaphragmatic breathing strengthens the diaphragm and respiratory muscles, improving lung function and oxygenation of the body. It can also lower blood pressure. Per the Harvard Health Publishing website, practicing regular deep breathing may reduce blood pressure as much as medication can. Diaphragmatic breathing can also improve sleep and lessen anxiety by positively impacting your nervous system. It lowers the physiological symptoms of panic (rapid breathing, high blood pressure) to bring your emotional state back to equilibrium. Practicing deep breaths in the evening helps quiet the nervous system, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. Although diaphragmatic breathing is generally safe, caution is needed. Individuals with certain conditions should avoid it or consult a doctor rst. Deep belly breathing can temporarily increase the work of breathing and cause discomfort for people with acute asthma, severe COPD, recent heart or abdominal surgeries, or severe spinal injuries. However, for those able to perform intentional, slow, and deep breathing, many health benets can be realized. Breath o ife

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