Feel your diaphragm

A diaphragm is the primary muscle of inhalation; it contracts like any other muscle and can be controlled voluntarily. It is important for your diaphragm to maintain tonicity, so that it can properly contract and move down on the inhale and then return to its resting shape with ease on the exhale. This ensures proper lung inflation and ongoing visceral massage. Learn more about the functions of your diaphragm >

For most of us, it is not possible to feel the diaphragm itself, but we can feel the widening of the lowest part of the rib cage that it produces on the inhale and the sensation of inner lift on the exhale. So this week let’s try to become aware of the movement of your diaphragm and see if we can counsciously affect its tonicity. Try this short breath awareness routine and see how it feels.