Breathing is useful for our health

Take a deep breath and relax. Behind that common piece of advice is a complex series of physiological processes that calm the body, slow the heart and help control pain. Some breathing exercises can help to cope with stress.

About the usefulness of breathing

Breathing and controlling your breath is one of the easiest ways to improve mental and physical health, doctors and psychologists say. Slow, deep and consistent breathing has been shown to have benefits in treating conditions ranging from migraines and irritable bowel syndrome to anxiety disorders and pain.

Specialists from San Francisco have recently launched a wearable device called Spire that tracks breathing patterns and tells users when they are too tense or anxious. However, others claim, that people can normalize their breathing without any devices as well. 

Research has found people working on computers often hold their breath, an action referred to as screen apnea, he said. Studies once again prove that while working on computers people should perform breathing exercises to reduce tension and stimulate the nervous system.

Most of us by instinct breathe vertically, using our chest, shoulders and neck. Abdominal, or diaphragmatic, breathing is often taught in yoga and meditation classes. Experts say air should be breathed in through the nose, and the exhale should be longer than the inhale.

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