Breathing and the Diaphragm
By Brianna Delaney
Diaphragmatic breathing is something many of us have heard about or been asked to do in relation to yoga, singing, meditation, pilates, strength training and even injury recovery. However, understanding where the diaphragm is and what some of the benefits of this type of breathing are, can help us practice better.
The diaphragm is a dome shaped muscle that sits below the lungs at the base of the rib cage. Unlike most muscles, the diaphragm has one central tendon that rests under the heart, and attaches to the base of the sternum, lower ribs and lumbar spine. This unique attachment means that rather than acting to provide joint movement, the contraction of the diaphragm raises and lowers its central tendon, creating inhalation and exhalation.
It is not the only muscle that plays a part in respiration, but it is what we call a primary muscle of respiration alongside the intercostals (muscles between our ribs). These muscles create changes in pressure gradients to help move air in and out of our lungs. Air always seeks to create equal pressure between two places. To breathe in, some of the intercostal muscles contract to pull our ribs up and out while the diaphragm draws its central tendon and the lungs downwards. This increases the space in our rib cage and creates a lower pressure inside our lungs than the air pressure around us, drawing air in to fill the lungs; causing you to inhale. To breathe out, some of the intercostal muscles will pull the ribs back down as the diaphragm relaxes. Suddenly there is less space than needed which creates a higher pressure inside the lungs than in the air around us and pushes air out; causing us to exhale.
For the large part, the diaphragm contracts and relaxes without our conscious input and adjusts its rate and depth of contraction as we move, rest, sleep and go about our day. Diaphragmatic breathing not only helps to strengthen the diaphragm, slows our rate of breathing and uses less energy to breath. But can also help us relax, reduce heart rate and blood pressure, improve muscle function during exercise as well as make breathing easier.
How to do diaphragmatic breathing:
Lay on your back on a flat surface with your knees bent
Place one hand on your chest and the other on the bottom of your rib cage
Breathing in slowly through your nose, letting the air travel deep into your lungs. The hand on your chest should stay still as you feel the hand on your lower ribs rise
Exhale and repeat