A growing number of research has revealed that diaphragmatic breathing activates a relaxation response in the brain and body. Deep breathing may improve both physical and mental health. Additionally, science tells us that deep breathing effects cognition, affect, and cortisol responses to stress.

What does the research say?

A study in 2016 examined whether breathing deeply is capable of improving mood and reducing stress. The results obtained from the research support that deep breathing is able to induce an effective improvement in mood and stress both in terms of self-reported evaluations and of objective parameters, such as heart rate and salivary cortisol levels.

Teaching children to breathe deeply is an important coping skill.

Mindful breathing teaches children that they have control over how they feel, which is something most children do not realize. Mindful breathing allows children to have power over their physical and mental energy, which, in turn, teaches them to self-regulate and engage in mindful behavior. Want your child to learn deep breathing techniques? Invest in their future and sign them up for a Mindful Child class or camp!

References

Perciavalle V, Blandini M, Fecarotta P, Buscemi A, Di Corrado D, Bertolo L, Fichera F, Coco M. The role of deep breathing on stress. Neurol Sci. 2017 Mar;38(3):451-458. doi: 10.1007/s10072-016-2790-8. Epub 2016 Dec 19. PMID: 27995346.

Ma, X., Yue, Z. Q., Gong, Z. Q., Zhang, H., Duan, N. Y., Shi, Y. T., Wei, G. X., & Li, Y. F. (2017). The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 874. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874