Whether your playing pickleball, working out, doing yoga, or even laying down for bed, you can always find time to utilize and focus on your breath. Most people overlook what exactly is going on internally when they are doing some type of breathe work or not. In this article, we'll talk about what exactly's going on internally in the body. There are several different types of breathing exercises that provide massive benefits for your health, but the one we will be diving into is called Box Breathing.
Box breathing is a powerful technique that is achieved by inhaling slowly through your nose for 4 seconds, holding your breathe for 4 seconds, exhaling slowly through your nose for 4 seconds, and then pausing another 4 seconds before your next inhale. By this specific process, the breathing is activating the body's parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the mind and reduces anxiety.
During each inhale of box breathing, we are increasing the oxygen into our bloodstream where it then binds with our red blood cells to then get transported throughout the rest of the body. This activates the sympathetic nervous system (the fight or flight response) due to the increase of oxygen which provides a boost of alertness.
During the 4 second hold, the oxygen continues to circulate and carbon dioxide levels start to build, which can cause the body to transfer oxygen more efficiently. In addition, the hold requires mindfulness and eventually engages the brain's prefrontal cortex (responsible for higher-order thinking) which ultimately leads to increases in focus and mental clarity.
During the 4 second exhale, the diaphragm relaxes and moves up which pushes air and carbon dioxide out of the lungs. Slow exhales activate the parasympathetic nervous system which results in calming the heart rate and lowering blood pressure. This part is vital to obtain stress reduction and relaxation. In addition, the exhale is also great for releasing physical tension in muscles as well, including your brain!
During the pause after exhaling, it allows time for the metabolic calibration, ultimately encouraging the body to use oxygen more efficiently.
A great time to do this exercise for Pickleball is in between points. It gives you the perfect ability to reset your body physically and mentally. Over time, the benefits of box breathing on the body can include a stronger heart rate variability (HRV), and allow the body to handle more stress effectively. Doing this type of breathing while you are in deep stretches can also be very benefical for the body and mind.
