A little anatomy: The structure and work of the breathing system

The role of the breathing system is the transaction between the outside air and the exchange of air in our blood, therefore, the intake of oxygen and the exhalation of carbon dioxide. Besides this we lose a significant amount of water - in the form of steam in the exhaled air (approx. half a litre daily).

Air contains 20% oxygen and we breathe shallowly 18-20 times a minute, normally half a litre in one go.

As previously mentioned, this is absolutely incorrect: the healthy way is to breathe 10-12 medium-breaths per minute and at least one complete lung breathing per hour.

Air gets into the lungs through the air passages:

- Upper air passages: nasal cavity (oral cavity), oesophagus (throat), wind pipe;

- Lower air passages: the two branches of the wind pipe divide into the main air ducts, which divide in the lungs like a tree into branches, to form bronchioles and alveoli;

- The right lung consists of 3 lobes, while the left has only 2 (to make space for the heart);

- The oxygen gets into the blood through the dense capillary vessels that are found on the walls of the lungs;

- The total surface area of the lungs is about equal to the size of a tennis court.

The obturator muscle blocks the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity below.  

The mechanism of your breathing happens with the help of the breathing muscles. When inhaling the obturator muscles and the outer intercostal muscles work, when exhaling the inner intercostals muscles work.

During breathing at rest, exhaling is automatic, there is no active muscle work. During sports activity, the muscles that help the exhaling get activated, speeding up the process. During inhaling the ribs lift up, the chest cavity grows; and air pressure reduces in the lungs, which makes the outer, higher pressure air flow into the air passages.