The main purpose of Belly breathing, or Diaphragmatic breathing, is to improve your lung health. However, for people who think this breathing exercise is only for the lungs, you are wrong. Apart from improving lung function, diaphragmatic or belly breathing helps manage other health issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and psychological stress, promotes good sleep, increases oxygen levels, reduces blood pressure and heart rate, and more.
Findings On Diaphragmatic (Belly) Breathing Exercise in 2024-25
In 2024, a randomised controlled trial on “The Effects of Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises on Individuals with Premature Ejaculation” was conducted by four researchers, namely, Umit Erkut (Health Sciences Faculty, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department, Rumeli University, Istanbul, Turkiye), Dilber Karagozoglu Coskunsu (Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Fenerbahce University, Istanbul, Turkiye), Kubra Erkut (Kurbaa Education and Consultancy Center, Istanbul, Turkiye), and Ali Veysel Ozden (Health Sciences Faculty, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkiye). This study was published by Oxford University Press in The Journal of Sexual Medicine in June 2025.
The researchers called 62 men of various age groups with premature ejaculation. They investigated the impact of belly or diaphragmatic breathing exercises on premature ejaculation. The study found that behavioural therapy and pelvic floor muscle training, supported by diaphragmatic breathing, improved ejaculation latency time, pelvic floor muscle strength, and autonomic nervous system function, compared to training and therapy without diaphragmatic breathing.
The above study found that diaphragmatic breathing exercises may help improve pelvic floor muscle endurance and assist in the management of premature ejaculation.
So, how to do Diaphragmatic (Belly) Breathing By Sitting?
You can perform the belly breathing exercise either by lying down, standing, or sitting. In this tutorial, we will teach you how to perform diaphragmatic (Belly) breathing while sitting in detail.
Step-by-Step Guide to Diaphragmatic (Belly) Breathing By Sitting
Step 1: First, sit on a comfortable platform, preferably on the ground. Use a yoga mat if you feel cold or uncomfortable.
Step 2: Next, keep one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. Don’t move the upper hand. Keep it still. Breathing in contracts your belly, whereas breathing out expands your belly. When you are doing this exercise, your hand on the abdomen should feel the breath to ensure you are doing it correctly.
Step 3: Once you place your hands as per step 2, gently inhale deeply through your nose and hold for 4 seconds. Note, you shouldn’t use your chest to breathe. Use only your diaphragm to do this exercise. As you inhale, your belly expands like a balloon. Your chest won’t feel any impact; instead, your belly does. Initially, you’ll feel a little tension in your belly; however, after a few sets, you’ll feel the difference.
Step 4: Upon belly expansion, hold your breath for 2 seconds. This step is performed right after the belly expansion and before exhaling.
Step 5: Release your breath through your mouth slowly for about 6 seconds.
Step 6: Finally, repeat the process for 5-10 minutes for better results.
Conclusion
Belly breathing, or Diaphragmatic breathing, can improve both your physical and mental health in ways you can’t imagine. Not only does this breathing exercise strengthen your cardiovascular muscles and improve respiration, but it also manages your anxiety, sleep quality, and keeps your stress at bay. Practising diaphragmatic breathing exercise daily for 10-30 minutes, 4-5 times a day, as per experts, for affirmative benefits. You can do this exercise anywhere, irrespective of the location, either after school or college, during your work breaks, or before napping. Pick a time at your convenience and incorporate belly or diaphragmatic breathing into daily routines as a part of a healthy lifestyle upgrade.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The whole idea behind the diaphragmatic or belly breathing exercise is to enhance lung function & lung health, while simultaneously improving other internal areas of the body, like heart rate, blood pressure, physical and psychological pain, anxiety, etc. Other deep breathing exercises include box breathing & pursed-lip breathing.
Several medical experts suggested doing 10-15 times a day for at least 10 minutes per set. Consider one belly breathing exercise as one set. Do 10-15 sets to feel the difference. However, if you are a beginner, start small, say 3-4 sets daily, and subsequently, increase the set count. Note that it’s not just the sets that matter but also the effort you put into performing this breathing exercise.