Why Breathing Techniques Are So Effective
At Verv, we often mention breathing is an excellent way to catch your breath during exercise, for stress relief and reducing anxiety. And it is! But have you ever wondered why this simple piece of advice is so effective? Why does breathing help? Let’s dive right in and find out.
What happens when you breathe?
You know the basics: when you breathe in, oxygen goes into your lungs and carbon dioxide is exhaled. But it’s not just your lungs that benefit from this process. The lungs, which are part of your respiratory system, work with your body’s other systems to spread the goodness of the oxygen throughout your body.
Your lungs work with your body’s circulatory system to deliver that O2 to your heart, veins, arteries, and capillaries, which connect with every part of your body, including those vital organs.
Then there’s the nervous system, lymphatic system, and the immune system. All of these work with the respiratory system to ensure it operates to perfection and vice versa. Meaning your entire body is connected, and breathing is a very essential part of it.
Quick breathing facts
Get to know your body better with these fast facts about breathing:
- 13 pints of air a minute. That’s how much the average person breathes
- 17,000 breaths a Over 24 hours, that’s how much you breathe in and out
- 42L of water is exhaled through the lungs each day
- 70% of waste is extracted from the body via the lungs
- 21% of the air we breathe in is oxygen. 79% is nitrogen. There are also some small particles of other elements in that 21% of oxygen, including helium, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen
- 4-5% of the air we exhale is carbon dioxide. 16% is oxygen and 79% is nitrogen
