Explain why abdominal breathing is beneficial for relaxation?

Reduction of stress and anxiety

Abdominal breathing quickly helps to calm the body and mind, simply because it slows down the breath and naturally decreases the heart rate. When you breathe deeply with your belly, you send a direct relaxation signal to your brain, like "everything is fine, no stress!" It helps your body reduce the production of cortisol, the stress hormone, and in return, brings you a good dose of inner peace. Practiced regularly, it makes your brain much less reactive to the small stresses of everyday life and actively boosts your overall sense of serenity.

Stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system

Abdominal breathing helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, a sort of "pause" mode for your body. This system comes into play when you relax, rest, or digest peacefully. The more you practice this deep breathing, the more your body understands that it can calm down, slow your heart rate, and reduce blood pressure. Essentially, you are signaling to your brain that it can stop panicking all the time. The result: your body truly relaxes, and so do you.

Improvement of oxygen circulation

When you use abdominal breathing, you fill your lungs more deeply, which allows for better oxygenation of your entire body. By breathing through the abdomen, you engage your diaphragm, a muscle that plays a key role in facilitating deep and effective breathing. As a result, oxygen circulates better in your body, and your cells receive what they need to function at their best. Your brain loves this; it gets better oxygen supply, leading to clearer ideas, less fatigue, and an overall sense of well-being.

Reduction of muscle tension

When you stress, your muscles automatically tense up: shoulders raised, jaw clenched, back tight... Not great, we agree. Abdominal breathing helps to relax these muscles deeply. By breathing slowly with your belly, you send the opposite message to your body: everything is fine, relax. The result? Your muscles let go and gradually relax. You quickly feel less stiffness, and the muscle pain related to tension decreases significantly. Less cramping, less chronic pain, more lightness and comfort in your daily movements: pretty cool, right?

Promotion of a state of calm and concentration

Abdominal breathing is a bit like hitting pause in your head when everything around you is too chaotic. By deliberately slowing down your breath, you allow your brain to return to the present moment. Your mind becomes clearer, more calm, and you are better able to refocus on what you are doing without scattering your attention. When practiced regularly, it trains your brain to concentrate better on what matters, while giving you that pleasant feeling of inner peace.