Most of us don’t think about how many times a day that we breathe, but according to the American Lung Association it is typically 20,000 breaths a day. Of course, how you breathe is affected by our emotions. When under stress, anxiety, exercise, and fear, it causes a release of hormones that can speed up heart rate and narrow blood vessels to raise our blood pressure. Something simple that can help lower blood pressure is learning how to control our breathing as a natural approach that can make that big difference in how we feel.
The Power of Slow Breathing for Lowering Blood Pressure
Breathing slowly causes the parasympathetic nervous system that automatically steps in without thinking about it since it is in control of the heart rate, your blood pressure, digestion and sweating to relax. Unlike the sympathetic nervous system that sets off after emotional upheaval from stress, danger, fear, etc. that raises blood pressure, the parasympathetic nervous system is the body’s calming response as the nerves in that network normalize once the threat or danger passes.
Therefore, it only makes sense that by taking in more air through the lungs changes how you inhale with deeper prolonged breaths for doing the trick to lower blood pressure. The reason is the slower breathing and how you inhale and exhale delivers more oxygen to the brain and rest of the body in response, releasing a flood of the happy endorphin hormones while reducing the amount of epinephrine, the stress hormone.
Mastering How to Breathe More Deeply
Start with from four to seven breaths while breathing through your nose, then exhaling the same number of times. This technique can give you a feel of being more mindful of your breathing.
Another method to lower blood pressure involves a yoga breathing technique that originated in India centuries ago called pranayama. Today that technique is often referred to as the 4-7-8 breathing technique. This natural technique works by gaining control of breathing such as by inhaling for four breaths, holding the breath for seven before exhaling for eight. You should make a whoosh sound as you let those breaths out. Try doing this exercise about three times daily can train the body into handling the stress and anxiety of life to make it more manageable for lowering blood pressure.
Other Beneficial Ways to Lower Blood Pressure
You may it helpful to read my earlier posts on meditation and other natural methods to reduce blood pressure. Take care and hopefully what I shared here can help keep you well.
