Good posture also contributes to proper breathing.
By Pam Paz
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Most people don’t give a second thought to the act of breathing unless they run out of breath.
Speech Professor Suzanne Skinner said proper breathing comes from the diaphragm, the area between the rib cage and belly button.
“If you’re breathing correctly, when you take a deep breath, that part of your body comes out, and when you exhale, it comes in,” Skinner said.
For her speech students, Skinner teaches breathing exercises to help students learn to breathe deeply and relax.
Skinner said practicing breathing exercises protects the voice so that it carries and enables speaking for a longer period without running out of air.
She said good posture is another way to promote proper breathing.
Proper breathing is important for everyone, not just speech students, she said.
Kinesiology Instructor Medin Barreira said proper breathing while doing physical activity is essential and will aid in a more efficient workout.
For physical activities, he said to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, he said.
Barreira advised students to never hold their breath because it could cause them to have headaches, or, in extreme cases, have an aneurism.
Time and again, people are told to take a deep breath and relax.
With all the pressures college students have with courses and jobs, practicing proper breathing will help them to be more relaxed and less anxious.
Harvard Health Publications reports, proper breathing lowers blood pressure and increases relaxation, allowing the body to calm, which results in less stress.
Meditation and yoga are two ways to practice deep breathing techniques.
For more tips on how to breathe properly, visit www.health.harvard.edu and search for relaxation techniques.