Today, everyone is looking for ways to lose weight that are both effective and gentle. One method that is less thought of but is receiving a lot of research attention is breathing exercises. They not only help you relax, improve your spirit and concentration, but can also support the process of losing weight and burning body fat.
What are breathing exercises?
Breathing exercises are a way for you to focus completely on your breathing, minimizing distractions. When practiced regularly, they can:
- Reduce anxiety and stress
- Improve sleep quality
- Improve concentration
How many types of breathing exercises are there?
Here are some common types of breathing exercises you can try:
- Deep breathing: Take a deep breath in, hold for a few seconds, and exhale slowly.
- Alternate nostril breathing: Inhale and exhale through each nostril, alternating.
- Pursed lip breathing: Inhale through your nose, exhale slowly through pursed lips.
- Diaphragmatic (abdominal) breathing: Place your hands on your belly, inhale and feel your belly expand, exhale and tighten your abdominal muscles.
- Senobi (Japanese style): Lean back, stretch your arms over your head, inhale and exhale slowly several times.
Although the methods are different, they all aim to reduce stress, relax your mind and focus on the present moment.
How does deep breathing help you lose weight?
1. Promote fat burning
Some studies show that breathing exercises can activate the sympathetic nervous system, responsible for the “fight or flight” response, thereby helping the body burn energy more efficiently.
For example, a study of 40 women who performed Senobi every day for 1 month significantly reduced body fat. Another study also found that practicing diaphragmatic breathing increases your resting metabolic rate, meaning your body burns more calories even when you’re not exercising.
2. Control hunger and appetite
Breathing properly also helps you feel fuller for longer, which helps you eat less naturally. Some interesting findings:
- Holding your breath for 3–4 seconds while contracting your abdominal muscles helps reduce hunger.
- 10 minutes of slow breathing can significantly reduce your appetite.
- Yoga combined with deep breathing increases the hormone leptin, which helps create a feeling of fullness, while also reducing BMI and belly fat.
This shows that just a few minutes a day can help you control your food intake and support natural weight loss.
3. Reduce stress
Prolonged stress increases cortisol, a hormone linked to cravings and weight gain. By practicing breathing regularly, you can:
- Reduce anxiety and stress
- Limit emotional eating
- Maintain a more stable weight
In other words, breathing properly helps the mind relax and the body slim down.
How to start deep breathing every day
Adding breathing exercises to your life is not difficult. Just follow these simple steps:
- Take a few minutes a day: Start with 3–4 times/day. Just a few minutes is enough to feel the difference.
- Choose the breathing style that suits you: Deep breathing, abdominal breathing (diaphragmatic), or alternate nostril breathing. The important thing is that you feel comfortable and natural.
- Create a quiet space: Sit or stand in a comfortable place, away from noise and distractions.
- Increase the duration: Start with a few minutes, then gradually increase the time as you get used to the breathing rhythm.
- Combine with other methods: Yoga, meditation or mindfulness exercises will help increase efficiency and bring a feeling of overall relaxation.
In short, breathing exercises are a simple but powerful way to reduce stress, control hunger and support weight loss. Although it cannot replace a balanced diet and exercise, taking a few minutes each day to breathe properly can increase fat burning, improve your mood and help you feel healthier. Start trying it today, by breathing in and out, and feel your body become lighter and your mind more relaxed with each breath.
