Can simply taking deep deep breaths help stimulate your lymphatic system contributing to your health?
It seems unlikely that deep breathing will either “stimulate your lymphatic system (whatever that means) or contribute to health.If by “deep breathing,” the OP means diaphragmatic breathing, then this can be a stress and tension management technique, but has nothing to do with the lymph system.Diaphragmatic breathing - Wikipedia
How do I take deep breaths?
As a certified yoga teacher, I have a lot to say on the subject.Breathing techniques are everywhere and have so many great benefits for you (Harvard is a great source, although many posts have been written on the subject).However, you need to know how to breath.At first (especially if you have a tight chest) it can prove to be very challenging. Before teaching breathing, I never knew how hard it was for some people to actually breath!Focus on your rib cage. This is where the magic happens, all your small blood vessels are tangled in there, and giving them oxygen will unleash most of the benefits.Start by breathing in the from of your body, before you move to the back side.It does not matter if your exhales are longer than your inhales, and vice versa. You cannot exhale more air than you inhale! However, if you are breathing for meditation or relaxation purposes, than yo might want to explore counting breathsTips:Lay down. Lay. Down.Put your hands on your rib cages. Are they moving? They need to open up where you inhale, and slowly come down as you exhale.Once you have the rib cages under control, put one hand on your lower belly and the other hand on your chest. Just like a wave, breath from lower belly to mid-belly to upper chest. Exhale chest to low belly.If you are not used to breathing, this will take a few days/week to master. Once you have mastered the front of your body, move onto the back. Start again by rib cages. Then focus on your wave: press your low back into the floor all the way to your shoulders, and exhale from shoulders to low back.Try to notice how it feels if you do this on a Monday lunch VS a Sunday morning, etc.Once you have this under control, you can try other techniques like alternate nasal breathing, etc. The internet is your playground!Om Shanti
Why do I feel an urge to take deep breaths?
Your question as it is currently phrased can have many answers, not the least of which is that you may be out of breath or require more oxygen.As an anxiety specialist though, I’ll answer on the assumption that you have this urge to take deep breaths all the time, and that the breaths are unfulfilling (meaning you don’t feel better after the deep breath) and you’re not sure why.If that is the case, it could be hyperventilation. Hyperventilation can be caused by anxiety, although there are some other issues that can cause it as well, like GERD. When you hyperventilate, you are actually breathing too quickly. Even though your body needs oxygen, it also needs CO2. Your body makes CO2 over time. When you breathe too fast, you expel that CO2 before your body has time to make more of it, causing too much oxygen to build up in your bloodstream. This is hyperventilating. People do it a lot when they have anxiety, because breathing quickly is a symptom of the fight or flight system.What’s interesting about hyperventilation is that it has a “paradoxical” effect. Although it is caused by too much oxygen, it makes you FEEL as though you are not getting enough oxygen. This leads to an overwhelming desire to get a deeper breath. Unfortunately, this tends to make it worse, because you’re still taking in more oxygen than you need. That’s why it is unfulfilling, as your body doesn’t let in the air all the way.One way to get rid of this is to breathe slower and hold your breath for a few seconds so that you make more CO2.Again, the urge to take deep breaths can be caused by any number of different reasons, and if you’re just asking why we need deep breaths at all, then the answer above is irrelevant. But just in case, hopefully those thoughts provide some guidance.
Why does my body sometimes take a deep breath on its own?
Because it needs to! http://www.enotes.com/nursing-encycloped... You can read all about the many systems above, but breathing is regulated so if you need oxygen, or need to expel carbon dioxide the lungs will take and extra breath! Clever or what?
Lately, it feels like I'm breathing TOO much air at once?
Definitely sounds like you are over-breathing, otherwise known as hyperventilating. It is a symptom of anxiety. Although you may not be panicking, you could be stressed and feeling anxious without being aware of it. Next time you feel that way, grab a paper bag, (just the type you would use for lunch), hold it so the opening is just open enough to breathe into but seal the edges around your mouth, and breathe in and out into the bag, till you feel calmer and are breathing easier. What this does is help you breathe in carbon dioxide, to balance the gases in your lungs, because when you over-breathe, you get rid of too much carbon dioxide which causes dizziness and lightheadedness.