Have you ever paid attention to how you breathe? Most people take the automatic breathing process for granted and pay little or no attention to the breaths they take.

"Many people breathe quickly with short, chest breaths," says Tom Bergmann, DC, a professor at Northwestern Health Sciences University. "Frequently breathing like this often leads to oxygen deficiency in the body because you are not drawing in enough oxygen to supply all of the cells and tissues in your body," he adds.

Proper breathing focuses on using the diaphragm in the abdomen. "The focus of abdominal breathing should be on pulling your belly in during exhalation, and then allowing it to expand with inhalation," says Dr. Bergmann. "Breathe in through your nose. As you inhale, nitric oxide releases from storage passages in the nose and has numerous positive effects on the body including decreased heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and cortisol levels," he says.

According to the National Institute of Health, cortisol is released by the adrenal glands -located near the top of each kidney - to help restore the body's natural functions to normal when a person is under stress or injured. Deep, slow breaths through the nose help diminish cortisol levels in the body to more normal levels.

Dr. Bergmann offers these tips for breathing to achieve relaxation:

• At least once per day, set aside 10 to 20 minutes of time from daily activities for yourself. Use five to seven minutes of this time to focus on conscious breathing.
• Close your eyes and relax your entire body.
• Inhale through your nose, making sure to take in deep, slow abdominal breaths, and exhale through your
  mouth.

Source: Natural News Service, Northwestern Health Sciences University, July 2007