8 Health Benefits of Deep Breathing (Diaphragmatic Breathing)

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHealth BenefitsConditions That BenefitDownsidesGetting StartedWho Can Help

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Health Benefits

Conditions That Benefit

Downsides

Getting Started

Who Can Help

Deep breathing (also called diaphragmatic, belly, or abdominal breathing) is an ancient practice rooted in yoga and martial arts that is still taught today in therapy and healthcare facilities. Some research suggests that deep breathing impacts theparasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the rest-and-digest response—resulting in health benefits like stress management, better sleep, and more.

1. Stress Management

2. Better Sleep

There is some evidence that deep breathing before bed can improve sleep quality.In one study, 30 days of a 15-minute pre-sleep deep breathing program resulted in participants experiencing higher-quality sleep than those who used social media for 15 minutes before sleep.

3. Improves Lung Function

There is low-level evidence that deep breathing can improve lung function, particularly when paired with exercise programs such as walking or upper-body exercises.

4. Increase Energy and Motivation

5. Improve Concentration

Diaphragmatic breathing may help improve concentration and attention. In one study, participants completed 20 sessions of deep breathing over eight weeks. The deep breathing group had significantly improved sustained attention compared to the control group.

6. Decrease Muscle Tension

Deep breathing can also decrease muscle tension as part of the relaxation response.For an even greater effect, you can pair breathing withprogressive muscle relaxation, contracting your muscles with each inhale and releasing them with each exhale.

7. Strengthen Immune System

It’s even possible that deep breathing could strengthen the immune system. Research has found that the breathing movements in our lung walls trigger a protective immune response that eradicates viruses and inflammation in lung tissue.

8. Improve Your Body’s Ability to Tolerate Exercise

Exercise tolerance refers to your ability to continue exercising until you are fully exerted. A small body of research has examined the benefits of deep breathing for improving exercise tolerance, particularly for individuals withchronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).

What Conditions Could Deep Breathing Help With?

With all the benefits mentioned above, deep breathing can be helpful for anyone. However, people with specific health concerns may find that deep breathing has particular advantages.

Are There Any Downsides to Deep Breathing?

Deep breathing can lead to hyperventilation—rapid breathing, leading to low carbon dioxide levels in the blood—when done improperly. It can make you feel dizzy and lightheaded.In severe cases, this can cause loss of consciousness.

Some research has found that deep breathing can worsen chest wall motion, reduce ventilation efficiency, and increase the general breathing workload for those with COPD.If you have COPD, talk to a healthcare provider before starting a deep breathing program. They may have you monitor your oxygen levels and avoid specific techniques or positions.

How to Get Started With Breathing Techniques

It can be helpful to understand your anatomy before starting abreathworkpractice.

Everyone has adiaphragm, a large, dome-shaped muscle beneath the lungs. When the diaphragm flattens, it pulls the lungs down, and they expand, filling with air. You can visualize this as the belly expanding outward when you inhale.

You can inhale without using your diaphragm; the lungs' upper lobes fill with air. During this type of inhale, the upper chest may rise, but the belly remains flat. This type of breathing does not employ as many muscles nor fill the lungs as fully and can leave stale air in the lungs.

Supine Diaphragmatic Breathing

Supine is a technical term for lying flat on your back. So, supine diaphragmatic breathing is a way to practice diaphragmatic breathing while lying down—on your bed, the floor, or anywhere you are comfortable.

Many people find learningdiaphragmatic breathingand engaging their muscles from this position easier than from sitting or standing positions. This is the perfect place to start if you’ve never done diaphragmatic breathing.

If you have difficulty activating your diaphragm with just your hand, you can also place a heavy book or other item on your belly to help with sensory feedback.

Pursed Lip Breathing

Pursed lip breathing is frequently recommended for people with COPD or others who require help with pacing and energy conservation. It is a breathing technique that encourages you to slow your breathing pace, open your lungs for longer, and increase oxygen flow.

Pursed lip breathing is particularly helpful during times of exertion or recovery.

Box Breathing

Box breathingis an easy-to-learn breathing technique often recommended for people looking for stress or anxiety relief.

4-7-8 Breathing

4-7-8 breathing is another technique that is particularly useful for people suffering from stress and anxiety. This breathing technique helps slow the breath pace and calm the mind.

Breathing Techniques Just About Anyone Can Try

Who Can Help Me With Diaphragmatic Breathing?

Certain health professionals are qualified to help you learn diaphragmatic breathing and advise on specific techniques for your unique situation. These include mental health professionals, occupational, physical, or respiratory therapists, cardiac specialists, primary care physicians, and more.

Other skilled workers, such as yoga teachers, tai chi, and martial arts instructors, can also teach deep breathing techniques.

Summary

Deep breathing can improve stress levels, sleep, lung function, energy, concentration, and more. It’s a technique that’s been taught for thousands of years and is still used today, with research supporting its benefits for people with COPD, asthma, anxiety, and more.

14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Zaccaro A, Piarulli A, Laurino M, Garbella E, Menicucci D, Neri B, Gemignani A.How breath-control can change your life: a systematic review on psycho-physiological correlates of slow breathing.Front Hum Neurosci. 2018;12:353. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353.Tavoian D, Craighead DH.Deep breathing exercise at work: potential applications and impact.Front Physiol. 2023;14:1040091. doi:10.3389%2Ffphys.2023.1040091Laborde S, Hosang T, Mosley E, Dosseville F.Influence of a 30-day slow-paced breathing intervention compared to social media use on subjective sleep quality and cardiac vagal activity.Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2019;8(2):193. doi:10.3390/jcm8020193Hamasaki H.Effects of diaphragmatic breathing on health: a narrative review.Medicines. 2020;7(10):65. doi:10.3390/medicines7100065Michigan Medicine University of Michigan.An easy way to beat stress—and build a healthier life.Ma X, Yue ZQ, Gong ZQ, et al.The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults.Front Psychol. 2017;8:874. doi:10.3389%2Ffpsyg.2017.00874Harvard Health Publishing.Relaxation techniques: breath control helps quell errant stress response.National Institutes of Health.How breathing activates lung defenses against viruses.Evangelodimou A, Grammatopoulou E, Skordilis E, Haniotou A.The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on dyspnea and exercise tolerance during exercise in COPD patients.Chest. 2015;148(4):704A. doi:10.1378/chest.2277852American Lung Association.Breathing exercises.Santino TA, Chaves GS, Freitas DA, Fregonezi GA, Mendonça KM.Breathing exercises for adults with asthma.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2020;(3). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001277.pub4Johns Hopkins Medicine.Hyperventilation.Balban MY, Neri E, Kogon MM, et al.Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal.Cell Rep Med. 2023;4(1):100895. doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895Vierra J, Boonla O, Prasertsri P.Effects of sleep deprivation and 4-7-8 breathing control on heart rate variability, blood pressure, blood glucose, and endothelial function in healthy young adults.Physiol Rep. 2022;10(13):e15389. doi:10.14814/phy2.15389

14 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Zaccaro A, Piarulli A, Laurino M, Garbella E, Menicucci D, Neri B, Gemignani A.How breath-control can change your life: a systematic review on psycho-physiological correlates of slow breathing.Front Hum Neurosci. 2018;12:353. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353.Tavoian D, Craighead DH.Deep breathing exercise at work: potential applications and impact.Front Physiol. 2023;14:1040091. doi:10.3389%2Ffphys.2023.1040091Laborde S, Hosang T, Mosley E, Dosseville F.Influence of a 30-day slow-paced breathing intervention compared to social media use on subjective sleep quality and cardiac vagal activity.Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2019;8(2):193. doi:10.3390/jcm8020193Hamasaki H.Effects of diaphragmatic breathing on health: a narrative review.Medicines. 2020;7(10):65. doi:10.3390/medicines7100065Michigan Medicine University of Michigan.An easy way to beat stress—and build a healthier life.Ma X, Yue ZQ, Gong ZQ, et al.The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults.Front Psychol. 2017;8:874. doi:10.3389%2Ffpsyg.2017.00874Harvard Health Publishing.Relaxation techniques: breath control helps quell errant stress response.National Institutes of Health.How breathing activates lung defenses against viruses.Evangelodimou A, Grammatopoulou E, Skordilis E, Haniotou A.The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on dyspnea and exercise tolerance during exercise in COPD patients.Chest. 2015;148(4):704A. doi:10.1378/chest.2277852American Lung Association.Breathing exercises.Santino TA, Chaves GS, Freitas DA, Fregonezi GA, Mendonça KM.Breathing exercises for adults with asthma.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2020;(3). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001277.pub4Johns Hopkins Medicine.Hyperventilation.Balban MY, Neri E, Kogon MM, et al.Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal.Cell Rep Med. 2023;4(1):100895. doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895Vierra J, Boonla O, Prasertsri P.Effects of sleep deprivation and 4-7-8 breathing control on heart rate variability, blood pressure, blood glucose, and endothelial function in healthy young adults.Physiol Rep. 2022;10(13):e15389. doi:10.14814/phy2.15389

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Zaccaro A, Piarulli A, Laurino M, Garbella E, Menicucci D, Neri B, Gemignani A.How breath-control can change your life: a systematic review on psycho-physiological correlates of slow breathing.Front Hum Neurosci. 2018;12:353. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353.Tavoian D, Craighead DH.Deep breathing exercise at work: potential applications and impact.Front Physiol. 2023;14:1040091. doi:10.3389%2Ffphys.2023.1040091Laborde S, Hosang T, Mosley E, Dosseville F.Influence of a 30-day slow-paced breathing intervention compared to social media use on subjective sleep quality and cardiac vagal activity.Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2019;8(2):193. doi:10.3390/jcm8020193Hamasaki H.Effects of diaphragmatic breathing on health: a narrative review.Medicines. 2020;7(10):65. doi:10.3390/medicines7100065Michigan Medicine University of Michigan.An easy way to beat stress—and build a healthier life.Ma X, Yue ZQ, Gong ZQ, et al.The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults.Front Psychol. 2017;8:874. doi:10.3389%2Ffpsyg.2017.00874Harvard Health Publishing.Relaxation techniques: breath control helps quell errant stress response.National Institutes of Health.How breathing activates lung defenses against viruses.Evangelodimou A, Grammatopoulou E, Skordilis E, Haniotou A.The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on dyspnea and exercise tolerance during exercise in COPD patients.Chest. 2015;148(4):704A. doi:10.1378/chest.2277852American Lung Association.Breathing exercises.Santino TA, Chaves GS, Freitas DA, Fregonezi GA, Mendonça KM.Breathing exercises for adults with asthma.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2020;(3). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001277.pub4Johns Hopkins Medicine.Hyperventilation.Balban MY, Neri E, Kogon MM, et al.Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal.Cell Rep Med. 2023;4(1):100895. doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895Vierra J, Boonla O, Prasertsri P.Effects of sleep deprivation and 4-7-8 breathing control on heart rate variability, blood pressure, blood glucose, and endothelial function in healthy young adults.Physiol Rep. 2022;10(13):e15389. doi:10.14814/phy2.15389

Zaccaro A, Piarulli A, Laurino M, Garbella E, Menicucci D, Neri B, Gemignani A.How breath-control can change your life: a systematic review on psycho-physiological correlates of slow breathing.Front Hum Neurosci. 2018;12:353. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353.

Tavoian D, Craighead DH.Deep breathing exercise at work: potential applications and impact.Front Physiol. 2023;14:1040091. doi:10.3389%2Ffphys.2023.1040091

Laborde S, Hosang T, Mosley E, Dosseville F.Influence of a 30-day slow-paced breathing intervention compared to social media use on subjective sleep quality and cardiac vagal activity.Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2019;8(2):193. doi:10.3390/jcm8020193

Hamasaki H.Effects of diaphragmatic breathing on health: a narrative review.Medicines. 2020;7(10):65. doi:10.3390/medicines7100065

Michigan Medicine University of Michigan.An easy way to beat stress—and build a healthier life.

Ma X, Yue ZQ, Gong ZQ, et al.The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults.Front Psychol. 2017;8:874. doi:10.3389%2Ffpsyg.2017.00874

Harvard Health Publishing.Relaxation techniques: breath control helps quell errant stress response.

National Institutes of Health.How breathing activates lung defenses against viruses.

Evangelodimou A, Grammatopoulou E, Skordilis E, Haniotou A.The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on dyspnea and exercise tolerance during exercise in COPD patients.Chest. 2015;148(4):704A. doi:10.1378/chest.2277852

American Lung Association.Breathing exercises.

Santino TA, Chaves GS, Freitas DA, Fregonezi GA, Mendonça KM.Breathing exercises for adults with asthma.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2020;(3). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001277.pub4

Johns Hopkins Medicine.Hyperventilation.

Balban MY, Neri E, Kogon MM, et al.Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal.Cell Rep Med. 2023;4(1):100895. doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895

Vierra J, Boonla O, Prasertsri P.Effects of sleep deprivation and 4-7-8 breathing control on heart rate variability, blood pressure, blood glucose, and endothelial function in healthy young adults.Physiol Rep. 2022;10(13):e15389. doi:10.14814/phy2.15389

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