Humans can breathe using either chest or abdominal techniques. Chest breathing uses the rib muscles, whereas abdominal breathing uses the diaphragm muscles. So, which is better for your body?

Differences between chest and abdominal breathing techniques

You can breathe using two different techniques: chest breathing or abdominal breathing. Chest breathing is your standard breathing technique, whereas abdominal breathing is used when you require a larger intake of oxygen. Here are the differences between chest and abdominal breathing techniques:

Chest breathing

Chest breathing is a breathing technique that relies on the movement of muscles between the ribs. The breathing process begins with the muscles between the ribs expanding as you inhale and deflating as you exhale. When the muscles between your ribs contract, the diaphragm relaxes, and vice versa.

Chest breathing involves the nose, chest muscles, throat, and lungs. Chest breathing also activates the muscles between the ribs. Overall, chest-breathing techniques can be described as follows:

• As we inhale, the diaphragm and the muscles between the ribs contract, pushing the ribs upward. The chest cavity will expand, allowing the lungs to accommodate the air
• Air inhaled through the nose or mouth travels into the throat, then into the trachea, and finally back into the lungs. After passing through the bronchi and bronchiulus, the air is directed into the alveoli
• In the alveolus, oxygen enters the capillary blood vessels, causing air exchange. In the capillary blood vessels, oxygen binds to proteins in red blood cells (hemoglobin), while carbon dioxide gas, a waste gas, is returned to the lungs to replace oxygen
• As we exhale, the diaphragm and rib cage relax, shrinking the chest cavity and deflating the lungs. Carbon dioxide-containing air will exit the lungs through the throat and then out of the nose

Abdominal breathing

Unlike chest breathing, which uses the muscles between the ribs, abdominal breathing employs the diaphragm muscle. Abdominal breathing involves consciously using your diaphragm to take long breaths. Another difference between chest and abdominal breathing is that abdominal breathing causes the lungs to expand more, allowing you to maximize lung capacity to 100%.

The mechanism of abdominal breathing can be described in the following stages:

• As we inhale, the diaphragm contracts, allowing the lungs to expand and reach their full capacity. This condition is characterized by the stomach leaning forward or expanding
• As we exhale, the air will leave the mouth and deflate the abdomen

Which technique is better for your health?

Basically, any breathing technique you practice is beneficial to your health. However, because abdominal breathing has the advantage of taking in more air, it is usually recommended for several kinds of health issues, including:

• Overcoming Anxiety
• It helps people with asthma and COPD take in more air
• helps you become more relaxed
• Improves muscle function and reduces strain during exercise. Facilitates waste gas expulsion from the lungs
• Reduces high blood pressure
• Lowers the heart rate

Although abdominal breathing is beneficial to your health, it is not the only solution if you have asthma, anxiety, heart palpitations, or high blood pressure. If you have these health issues, you should see a doctor.

If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

Looking for more tips and health tricks, first aid, and home remedies? Click here!