HOW DOES THE DIAPHRAGM HELP YOUR BODY BREATHE?
The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle located at the base of your lungs, separating the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. It plays a crucial role in the process of breathing, as it is the primary muscle responsible for initiating and controlling the movement of air into and out of your lungs.
Here's how the diaphragm helps your body breathe:
1. Inhalation (Breathing In): When you breathe in, the diaphragm contracts and flattens out. This contraction creates a vacuum effect, which causes the volume of your chest cavity to increase. As a result, the air pressure inside your lungs decreases, creating a pressure gradient that allows air to rush into your lungs through the nose or mouth.
2. Exhalation (Breathing Out): During exhalation, the diaphragm relaxes and returns to its dome-shaped position. This relaxation reduces the volume of the chest cavity, which in turn increases the air pressure inside your lungs. The higher air pressure pushes the air out of your lungs, and you exhale through your nose or mouth.
In summary, when you breathe in, the diaphragm contracts and moves downward, creating negative pressure in the chest cavity, allowing air to rush in. When you breathe out, the diaphragm relaxes and moves upward, increasing the pressure in the chest cavity, forcing air out of the lungs.