How to breathe to lower blood pressure?

Caution : You must consult your doctor for your health. This page presents only a personal and alternative point of view which should not be considered as an attempt to prescribe medicine.

With age, hypertensive attacks usually become quite disturbing.

Sometimes treatments and medications are insufficient to regulate unexpected blood pressure spikes.

Fortunately, there are breathing techniques to lower blood pressure.

Practice abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing

Abdominal breathing (with the belly) is the natural mode of breathing that we do unconsciously every day.

However, with age and stress, the diaphragmatic breathing becomes rather difficult and it becomes necessary to proceed differently.

So you can still continue to do abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing, but with full awareness this time.

Indeed, here, the abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing consists of a rhythmic repetition of a simple breathing pattern.

To do this, you will first need to put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.

Then you will only have to breathe in deeply through your nose.

Usually, you should feel your diaphragm contracting.

Breathing with the diaphragm is essential if you want to improve your oxygenation and better regulate your blood pressure.

Do not hold oxygen in your lungs, but breathe out directly with the inspiration.

Repeat the maneuver for about 10 minutes, making sure that only the hand on your stomach moves, and especially not the hand on your chest.

This breathing technique is the most used nowadays to lower blood pressure.

It produces excellent results.

Use the "Shitali" technique to refresh your body

This technique originates from the practice of yoga.

Its purpose is to cool the body when it is exposed to significant heat.

It's symbolic, but let's say the technique is intended to "calm" your metabolism and your blood pressure.

It works well and is therefore sometimes used to lower blood pressure.

In fact, there are many "shitali" exercises.

However, one of them stands out from the others.

To perform it, you must be in a seated position with your back straight.

Then, all you have to do is relax your shoulders and arms.

Take a deep breath.

After that, stick out the tongue and form a U with the tip.

As you mimic the U shape with your tongue, you will need to breathe in for 5 seconds through your mouth.

You will feel a pleasant refreshment.

Then close your mouth and breathe out slowly through your nose.

NOTE: The "Shitali" technique is a great Pranayama technique, however for people who have never practiced Yoga, learning to breathe in and out slowly through the nose will be more than enough.

Let yourself be tempted by alternate nasal breathing

This ingenious breathing technique also comes from yoga.

Nonetheless, it will take a little more concentration, but once you get used to it it will almost be fun, enough to lower your blood pressure and give you little moments of relaxation.

To perform the alternate breathing, you just have to sit down.

Make sure you keep your back straight.

Then do a short series of long, slow breaths to relax.

Then, following an exhalation, you put the thumb of your right hand on your right nostril to stop it.

Breathe in deeply and slowly with the left nostril open.

Once at the end of the inspiration, unblock the right nostril and plug the left nostril with the ring finger and slowly exhale through the right nostril.

Then breathe in through the same right nostril, then breathe out through the left, closing the right.

Then inhale from the right while closing the left, and so on.

Repeat the exercise for ten minutes.

It is an easy technique to carry out which does not require any particular effort except the fact of doing it extremely slowly.

This technique, combined with a good night's sleep, will allow you to lower your blood pressure.

Inspiratory muscle strength training: the trendy technique

Very popular today, this technique was created many decades ago by researchers at the University of Colorado in the USA.

It is also called " Inspiratory Muscle Strength Training " in English.

It aims to provide a more convenient way to lower blood pressure.

It is achieved through a small device.

The latter is portable and can accompany you everywhere.

You will need to breathe in it for about 5 minutes.

The constitution of the apparatus makes breathing difficult by opposing resistance to your breathing efforts.

This puts your muscles to work and improves their endurance and stamina.

The device can be adjusted to your liking to make exercising easier.

With this technique, you can practice wherever you want.

At work, during your breaks, on an outing, etc., use it anytime you feel the need.

In addition to the many advantages that this technique offers, its practice does not take you much time.

NOTE: instead of ordering this expensive device, you can simply breathe through a straw or breathe in a mask (one hour max).

In summary, there are many breathing techniques for lowering blood pressure.

But if you want to regulate your blood pressure as quickly as possible, nothing beats a deep relaxation session that you can induce in less than 5 minutes thanks to the technique of intermittent breathing.

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