Controlled Breathing

Controlled breathing, when applied in therapeutic contexts, is often referred to as “breathing retraining” and has historically involved the use of diaphragmatic breathing techniques. Breathing involves an exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between our body and the environment: When we breathe, we take in oxygen from the environment and release carbon dioxide into the environment. Diaphragmatic breathing involves slow and controlled breathing from the diaphragm (the abdominal muscle located below the lungs, near the base of the rib cage), where air entering the lungs leads to an expansion of the abdomen, as opposed to an expansion of the chest, as is typically seen in hyperventilation. Controlled breathing aims to induce a physiological state of balanced [Page 868]oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange to promote relaxation ...