Struggling with insomnia? Worried by anxiety? The first piece of advice that you are likely to see is to try breathing exercises. From ancient yoga practitioners to modern health professionals, experts have made this recommendation. But how can simple breathing activities have such a significant effect on our mental and physical health? 

正在与失眠作斗争吗？担心焦虑吗？您可能看到的第一条建议是尝试呼吸练习。从古代瑜伽练习者到现代健康专家，专家都提出了这一建议。但简单的呼吸活动如何对我们的身心健康产生如此显着的影响呢？ 

Once we consider how essential oxygen is for life, it might seem obvious that focusing on this can help our health. Our nervous system instinctively regulates the flow of oxygen into our lungs. Possibly because of body image concerns, many people hold in their stomachs, taking shallow breaths. This can lead our body to increase our breathing rate to compensate. 

一旦我们考虑到氧气对生命有多重要，就会发现关注这一点显然可以帮助我们的健康。我们的神经系统本能地调节进入肺部的氧气流量。可能是出于对身体形象的考虑，许多人会屏住呼吸，浅呼吸。这会导致我们的身体增加呼吸频率来进行补偿。 

Our breathing also gets faster when we're stressed or anxious. When this happens, our sympathetic nervous system triggers a fight-or-flight response. As well as affecting breathing, this increases our heart rate and produces adrenaline to prepare our muscles for action. Stress and anxiety can thus be linked with rapid breathing. 

当我们感到压力或焦虑时，我们的呼吸也会变得更快。当这种情况发生时，我们的交感神经系统会引发战斗或逃跑反应。除了影响呼吸外，这还会增加我们的心率并产生肾上腺素，为我们的肌肉做好行动准备。因此，压力和焦虑可能与呼吸急促有关。 

To recover from a threat, our parasympathetic nervous system can put our body into a rest-and-digest state allowing us to relax and be calm. In this state, breathing and heart rates slow. However, it appears that slow, deep breathing can also make this happen. It's also notable that when we focus on breathing techniques, we can be distracted from the issues that are causing us stress. 

为了从威胁中恢复过来，我们的副交感神经系统可以让我们的身体进入休息和消化状态，让我们放松和平静。在这种状态下，呼吸和心率都会减慢。然而，缓慢、深呼吸似乎也可以实现这一点。还值得注意的是，当我们专注于呼吸技巧时，我们可能会分散对造成压力的问题的注意力。

Experts recommend using our diaphragm to inhale deeply, filling our lungs completely and then holding our breath for a few seconds before exhaling. Other recommended techniques include breathing through alternating nostrils. So next time you feel anxious or stressed, why not try some breathing techniques to help you relax? 

专家建议使用横膈膜深吸气，使肺部完全充满，然后屏住呼吸几秒钟，然后呼气。其他推荐的技术包括通过交替鼻孔呼吸。因此，下次当您感到焦虑或压力时，为什么不尝试一些呼吸技巧来帮助您放松呢？ 

词汇表

insomnia 失眠
anxiety 焦虑，不安
breathing exercise 呼吸训练
oxygen 氧气
instinctively 本能地
flow 供应，流动
lung 肺，肺部
shallow （呼吸）浅的
breath 气息
breathing rate 呼吸频率
sympathetic nervous system 交感神经系统
fight-or-flight response 战斗或逃跑反应
rapid breathing 呼吸急促
parasympathetic nervous system 副交感神经系统
rest-and-digest state （身体的）“休息和消化” 状态
breathing technique 呼吸技巧
diaphragm （横）隔膜
inhale 吸气
hold someone's breath 屏住呼吸
exhale 呼气
nostril 鼻孔