Breathing, at a slow steady pace, activates the “relaxed” nervous system. The “relaxed” nervous system prompts the body to properly deliver blood to your vital organs and extremities.
Short shallow breathing activates your “fight of flight” nervous system, which shunts blood away from your vital organs and extremities, depleting them of oxygen, while sending all the blood to your brain.
The muscles involved in expiration, the intercostals, are stronger than the muscles involved in inspiration. By training your exhalation to extend, your inhale will naturally extend as well.
Training your breathing patterns is an effective long term solution to improve stress, anxiety and health conditions such as high blood pressure and panic disorders.
Breathing is the way we feed our vital organs, including our brain, with oxygen. Without enough oxygen you may experience mental sluggishness, lack of energy, negative feelings.
