Every day, you breathe thousands of times without even thinking about it. The inhalation and exhalation processes allow fresh oxygen to enter the bloodstream as carbon dioxide is removed from the body. However, deep breathing is a conscious practice that provides many health benefits beyond the standard breathing required for life.

When it comes to improving our health, many of us focus on areas where we can easily quantify and track, such as how many carbohydrates or calories we consume, or how many times a week we exercise. Although it may be harder to measure, reducing and managing stress is a key component of staying healthy. Chronic stress has been linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and anxiety, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

Deep breathing exercises are an effective and simple solution to reduce stress. Even better, deep breathing is good for your body and mind. Let's discover how deep breathing can have a lasting positive impact on your life!

Reduce anxiety and depression

Deep breathing exercises allow you to relieve stress in a safe and healthy way. By taking a few minutes each day to find a quiet place and focus on your breathing, you can better manage your symptoms and gain a sense of calm in your daily life.

Relieve pain

Consciously breathing not only puts you in a more relaxed position, it also allows your body to release endorphins, which also play a key role in reducing your perception of pain.

Lower blood pressure

Deep breathing exercises help lower overall blood pressure and can help improve cardiovascular health. Deep breathing not only keeps your entire cardiovascular system strong and healthy, but also helps you feel more relaxed in all aspects.

Boost immunity

Regular deep-breathing exercises can also have a positive impact on your immune system. This phenomenon occurs due to oxidation. The more you focus on deep breathing, the more oxygen you provide to the blood in your veins.

Improve concentration

While brief periods of stress can help us focus more clearly, especially on work tasks, prolonged periods of stress can make our brains a bit fuzzy. But one of the most significant benefits of deep breathing is improved concentration.

Deep breathing technique

There are many different ways you can try to breathe deeply from your abdomen instead of your chest. To help, you can opt for the OPUMP Smart Breathing Trainer, which offers a variety of breathing training classes that you can try different exercises to see which one gives you the greatest sense of calm.

Diaphragmatic breathing

Sit or lie flat on your back. Place one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest. Breathe in slowly through your nose to expand your abdomen and make sure your chest doesn't move. Exhale slowly through slightly open lips as if you were whistling. Push all the air out of your abdomen with your hands and repeat this exercise 3 or more times.

4-7-8 breathing

It's similar to abdominal breathing. Simply perform the above exercise in the same way, but with a count. As you inhale, count to four, then hold your breath for a count of seven. Exhale for a count of eight, then push all the air out of your stomach again with your hands. Repeat as needed.

Deep breathing isn't just an exercise that fits into your daily routine. While consciously breathing may be a simple process, it brings many benefits and has the potential to improve many different areas of your life. Starting today, practice deep breathing!