Tired? Take a breath!

When we start working-out or exercise, the heart and lungs play a very important role which is providing energy in the form of oxygen. The main function of the lung is purifying air (Oxygen) and removing carbon dioxide with other air impurities. The body requires oxygen for energy production and carbon dioxide is the waste product of that process. Then the lungs send this oxygenated blood to the heart and the heart pumps the oxygen to the muscles that are doing exercise.

When we exercise, our muscles use more oxygen to produce energy so we require more oxygen. To cope with this extra demand of oxygen, your breathing has to increase. Our circulation also speeds up to take oxygen to the muscles.

You might be thinking, whether an incorrect breathing pattern affects your exercise?

The answer is yes, It does! It might tire you, before you finish your activity. And it will also affect your speed of performance, coordination and posture.

How does breathing through mouth affect your performance?

Breathing through mouth can be a reason for your tiredness and also it alters the heart rate and blood pressure. When we breath through mouth, we inhale a lot of impurities with air. On the other side when we inhale through the nose (Nasal breathing), it filters the air and this function is carried out by Cilia (filter lined with tiny hair is called Cilia). Also because nostrils are smaller and narrow than mouth, it creates back flow of air (and oxygen) while exhalation into the lungs. Oxygen is an only source of life. Only nasal breathing can provide enough amount of oxygen to the lungs and maintain the lung capacity. So, on one hand, breathing through nose will protect your lungs from impurities, it will maintain optimal concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. And on the other hand, when we breathe through mouth we inhale and exhale a large amount of air,very quickly. This makes your arteries and blood vessels shrink faster , which results in less supply of oxygen to the organs and muscles. As a result we get tired faster while doing physical work.

* while exercising follow following inhale and exhale pattern.

exhale when limbs goes away from the body and inhale when limbs comes toward body.

Benefits of breathing properly during exercise include:

• Longer endurance

• Increase lung capacity

• Preventing injuries like, hernia, increasing blood pressure

• Helps to stay focused on exercise

• Strengthen intercostal muscle

• Increase the lung function and reserve lung capacity

--Kraus, W., & Keteyian, S. (2007). Cardiac Rehabilitation.

http://www.exercisesolution.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/PROPER_BREATHING.htm

--https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4818249/

--https://stepupair.com/2017/10/18/the-importance-of-breathing-in-sports/

--https://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-04-secret-weapon-sports.html

--https://goqii.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/close-grip-bench-press.jpg

--http://www.alaskafit.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Inhale.Exhale..jpg

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