Why Diaphragmatic Breathing Matters
Purpose: This exercise builds awareness of what true diaphragmatic breathing feels like.
The Relax State: Diaphragm-dominant breathing typically occurs when we are in a relaxed, rest-and-digest state.
Accessory Breathing: When we are stressed or exercising, we recruit our accessory respiration muscles. This is normal! However, many people continue breathing this way throughout the day without realizing it.
The Physical Toll: Constant chest and shoulder breathing can lead to increased muscle tension and body soreness.
The Goal: By learning what diaphragm breathing feels like, we can intentionally revert to this relaxed state during low-energy moments, reducing tension build-up in the upper back, rib cage, shoulders, and neck.
The Learning Curve
It’s totally normal for this type of exercise to feel a bit awkward at first. It’s less direct than, say, stretching your tense muscles.
Think of it like this: We are setting you up in a quiet, calm, controlled environment to practice a movement and improve your body awareness. Once you hone that awareness, you can naturally revert to this style of breathing throughout the day.
An elite basketballer doesn’t have to think about the mechanics of dribbling during a game because their neuromuscular pathways are so strong from years of training. They can focus on what’s going on around them rather than watching the ball. But they didn’t start like that! When they first picked up a basketball, they had to watch it fall to the ground and bounce back up. They had to practice in a controlled environment first, free from game-day distractions.
A Quick Digression: What Is Mindfulness?
Primary Mindfulness: The direct, non-judgmental awareness of raw physical sensations and present-moment experiences as they naturally occur (e.g., feeling the rise and fall of your abdomen).
Secondary Mindfulness: The conscious observation of your subsequent thoughts, emotional reactions, and judgments that arise in response to those initial sensations.
Mindfulness can also be:
Guided vs. Self-Directed: Listening to an instructor/app vs. practicing silently on your own.
Formal vs. Informal: Sitting down for a dedicated session vs. bringing present-moment awareness to everyday chores like washing dishes.
The Technique
It’s very simple, yet surprisingly challenging!
- Timing: Find a time in your day when your mind is least active.
- Optional Warm-Up (The 1-Minute Brain Dump): Not everyone needs to do this, but I certainly do! Before you lie down, spend one minute jotting down whatever is on your mind. Getting those thoughts out of your head and onto a piece of paper clears your mental queue, giving your nervous system a much better chance to drop into that relaxed state.
- Timer: Set a timer on your phone for 5 minutes.
- Pro Tip: I’m a huge fan of using an alarm here. Setting an alarm acts as a promise to yourself that this isn’t an endless, arduous task—you can fully surrender to the 5 minutes knowing the phone will tell you when you’re done. This really aids the mindfulness aspect!
- Position: Lie down on your back with your fingers lightly interlaced (not clasped) resting on your belly.
- Breathe: Just breathe!
What to Focus On:
- Breathe normally: Don’t take larger or shallower breaths than usual.
- Maintain your pace: Don’t intentionally speed up or slow down. The entire goal is simply to observe.
- Watch your hands: Observe your interlaced fingers spreading apart as you inhale (it might only be a movement of a few millimeters).
- Tip: Alternatively, place a light object on your belly to watch it rise and fall.
- Feel the movement: Feel your tummy rise as you breathe in and fall as your diaphragm naturally recoils. Eventually, you won’t need visual or tactile feedback—your observation will become internal body awareness. This physical focus is effectively primary mindfulness.
- Ignore the chest: Notice how little we mention upper chest breathing here. Focus strictly on the desired outcome (relaxed tummy breathing). When driving toward a fork in the road, you look toward the route you want to take, not the alternative. Focusing entirely on the diaphragm encourages this natural mechanism to take over.
- Take it deeper: Try to feel your actual diaphragm contracting in your lower rib cage on the inhale, followed by the unforced, natural recoil as it springs back to its starting position.
Building Progression
5 minutes sounds like a walk in the park, right? Wrong! This is surprisingly challenging for many people. But with practice, your ability to keep your mind in the present will improve. As this happens and your neural circuitry hardwires the new pattern, you can challenge yourself by gradually increasing the time.
The Mindfulness Connection
A major part of this exercise is keeping your mind focused on observing your breath—and nothing else.
Inevitably, your mind will start to drift. You might think about your to-do list, what’s hurting, what’s worrying you, whether you locked the front door, or even whether this exercise is a waste of time!
This is completely normal and brings a valuable element of mindfulness into the practice. When you notice your mind wandering, gently bring your focus back to your breath. This simple act trains your mind to stay engaged with what you are doing in the present moment, free from distraction and judgment.
Give Yourself 5 Minutes Today
Like mastering any new skill—whether it’s dribbling a basketball or learning a new habit—retraining your breath takes consistent, low-stakes practice. You don’t need an hour of meditation or a quiet mountaintop.
Set your timer for 5 minutes today, lie down, and just observe. Notice how your body responds over time, and give yourself grace when your mind wanders.
Your nervous system—and your upper back, shoulders, and neck—will thank you for it!
