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"Oh, why am I you again?" Uncle Liu sighed at the door of the hospital. He had come for a medical check-up today, but he knew in his heart that it was more than just a simple check-up.
Uncle Liu, a 71-year-old ordinary retiree, his career as a postman, makes him no stranger to daily routines. Since retiring, he has found a new hobby – holding his breath underwater.
Every day in the swimming pool of the community, he will practice holding his breath, at first only a few tens of seconds, and slowly, he can hold his breath for more than two minutes. Now, two years later, he decided to come to the hospital to see what this unusual exercise had done to his body.
"Mr. Liu, please come here. The nurse smiled and guided him into the examination room. After taking blood pressure, auscultation, blood tests, the doctor sat down and began to talk to him about the results.
"Your lung capacity has improved compared to two years ago, which is very rare at your age. The doctor's eyes were full of surprise, and he continued, "And your blood circulation seems to be smoother than before. ”
Uncle Liu was very happy after hearing this, but he had a question in his heart: "Doctor, does this have anything to do with my daily breath-holding?" The doctor smiled and nodded: "Underwater breath-holding is not only a challenge to body control, but also a cardiopulmonary exercise. ”
When you hold your breath underwater, your body must adjust your breathing patterns to increase the efficiency of your lungs. Holding your breath also prompts the body to increase the use of oxygen in the blood.
Then, the doctor said, "Breath-holding can also affect your nervous system. In underwater exercises, when the human body feels external pressure and regulates breathing, it naturally activates the vagus nerve. In the process of performing these breathing control exercises, the body's regulatory mechanisms may be strengthened, which unconsciously improves the body's ability to manage various physiological functions. ”
"Moderate breath-holding training is good for health, but care must also be taken," the doctor explains. As persistent or excessive breath-holding can cause insufficient oxygen supply to the brain, and sometimes it can be life-threatening, it is recommended that you continue to practice at your current frequency and ensure that you are professionally supervised to stay safe. ”
On the doctor's advice, Uncle Liu decided to continue his breath-holding exercises, but pay more attention to safety and methods. His life was made more fulfilling by this little interest, and his daily breath-holding time became a moment of dialogue with himself.
For 71-year-old Uncle Liu, although these two years are not the longest stage in his life, they have indeed added a new color to his life. Through this little hobby, holding his breath underwater, he shows us that no matter how old we are, there is always an opportunity to improve our quality of life and challenge ourselves.
This simple daily practice has significantly improved his quality of life and proves that it's never too late to explore new things and improve himself.
Moreover, Uncle Liu's hobby also unexpectedly drove his social life. It is conceivable that his persistence in the swimming pool not only attracted the attention of his peers, but also made more young people look at this energetic old gentleman.
In further conversations, the doctor mentioned a little-noticed, but rather critical, health effect – emotion management. "Mr. Liu, have you noticed that regular breath-holding exercises may help you better control your emotions?"
"Emotions, what does this have to do with holding your breath?" Uncle Liu asked in surprise.
"It's actually quite simple. The doctor explained, "When holding your breath, you must adjust your mental state and stay calm, which is actually a kind of self-emotional regulation training." In the long term, this increased ability to regulate not only helps to cope with the stress of daily life, but may also reduce the occurrence of anxiety and depression. ”
Uncle Liu recalled the changes he had changed in the past two years, and he really felt that he was more able to face the unsatisfactory in life calmly than before. He didn't expect that a simple hobby would indirectly improve his mental health.
Time passed in a flash, and Uncle Liu continued his breath-holding exercises, but this time, he no longer just practiced for the sake of practicing, but paid more attention to the balance of methods and psychology. He began to keep track of his daily practice time and physical reactions, and even began to try to keep some short journals to record his feelings and progress.
After a daily physical examination, the doctor reconfirmed Uncle Liu's good physical condition and reminded him to maintain the existing practice rhythm and avoid overwork. Health is not only physical, but also mental and emotional.
What do you think about holding your breath underwater? Welcome to discuss in the comment area!