Breathing - a window to our health

A deep breath – this is how life begins. Breathing is much more than just supplying vital oxygen. It is your body's central energy supplier. If you don't have enough oxygen in your body, your body cannot function optimally. And that doesn't just apply to sporting performance, but also to everyday things.

How does breathing work?

Breathing is a fascinating and vital process in which we absorb oxygen from the air and release carbon dioxide through the respiratory tract. This exchange takes place in the lungs - more precisely in the tiny air sacs called alveoli. But how does breathing actually work?

When we breathe in, air flows into the airways through our nose or mouth. From there it reaches the lungs and further into the alveoli. Gas exchange takes place in these small bubbles surrounded by capillaries. Oxygen enters the blood through the fine walls of the alveoli, while carbon dioxide passes from the blood into the alveoli to leave our body the next time we exhale.

This oxygen in the blood is crucial for our cells to produce energy. Every cell in our body needs oxygen to produce energy using nutrients from our food - a process we call cellular respiration. This is the only way we can think, move and grow.

Breathe better - live healthier

Breathing is closely linked to the autonomic nervous system and reacts to moods. Deep and conscious breathing can relax and reduce stress, while shallow breathing is often associated with tension. You've probably lost your breath in a risky situation or felt the air burning in your airways after exercising.

Well-functioning breathing can have a positive effect on your endurance and performance, but also on your stress resilience and ability to relax. The following applies: Conscious inhaling can have an impact on your performance, while slow and conscious exhaling ensures relaxation.

Training breathing - The lungs need the strength of the breathing muscles

Unlike the heart, the lungs themselves have no muscles and cannot
be trained. Inhalation and exhalation are controlled by your respiratory muscles. This allows breathing to optimally supply your body with oxygen and energy via the respiratory tract.

How you can train your breathing and how it can help with common complaints like
For example, tension, back pain, stress, Long Covid can help, breathing expert Kevin Grafen, Dr. Matthias Wittfoth and DirkSchauenberg.