The Diaphragm, Your Body’s Silent Engine
- Brainz Magazine
- Sep 11
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 23
Written by Remington Steele, Intuitive Breath Practitioner, Emotional Wellness Coach & Philanthropist
Remington Steele is an Intuitive Breath Practitioner, Emotional Wellness Coach, and the visionary founder of Breathe With Rem and We Are The Village – Teen Moms. A philanthropist and author of Breathe With Me, Remington’s work is rooted in healing, empowerment, and generational transformation.
Most people have no idea where their diaphragm is, let alone how vital it is to every breath, every movement, and every emotion they experience. Hidden beneath the ribs like a silent engine, this powerful dome-shaped muscle is the true core of your body, controlling not just how you breathe, but how you live. It influences posture, circulation, digestion, and even the way your brain perceives stress or safety. If your breath feels shallow, your body tight, or your mind constantly overwhelmed, chances are your diaphragm isn’t functioning at its full potential. And that’s not just a missed opportunity, it’s a message. Understanding the diaphragm is the first step to reclaiming your breath, your nervous system, and your power. Keep reading, you’re about to meet the most important muscle you never knew you had.
The diaphragm’s function
The diaphragm is far more than a breathing muscle, it’s a dynamic, rhythmic pump at the center of nearly every essential body function. On each inhale, the diaphragm contracts and flattens downward, creating a vacuum that pulls air into the lungs. But this motion also compresses the abdominal cavity, gently massaging the digestive organs to aid in breaking down food and moving waste through the intestines. As it flattens, the diaphragm presses against the liver, stomach, and spleen, encouraging the release of metabolic waste and toxins. It also plays a key role in lymphatic flow: each breath acts like a full-body squeeze, helping to circulate lymphatic fluids that carry immune cells and flush out cellular debris, something the lymphatic system cannot do on its own without movement, or breath. On the exhale, the diaphragm relaxes and rises back into its dome shape, helping expel carbon dioxide and giving the organs a moment of reprieve and reset. This constant rise-and-fall not only keeps us alive, it maintains the rhythm of detoxification, digestion, circulation, and emotional balance. When we breathe deeply and fully, we activate the diaphragm’s full potential, supporting a cleaner, calmer, and more resilient body from the inside out.
The true “heartbeat”
Many people are surprised to learn that the subtle pulsing they feel in the center of their chest or upper abdomen isn’t always their heart, it’s often the diaphragm. This dome-shaped muscle has its own palpable rhythm, especially when you’re deeply connected to your breath. During full, conscious breathing, the diaphragm moves with such precision and consistency that it creates a rhythmic motion, one you can actually feel when you're still. This beat-like sensation is not a pulse of blood, but a wave of movement, rising and falling, pressing and releasing as it contracts and relaxes to pull in air and push it out. It’s the body’s true rhythm-maker, quietly setting tempo beneath the surface of life. Unlike the heart’s automatic drumbeat, the diaphragm’s rhythm responds directly to your awareness, emotion, and environment. When you begin to notice and connect with that inner beat, you’
How the health of our lungs affects our diaphragm
The lungs and diaphragm operate in constant partnership, when one suffers, the other must compensate. Healthy lungs are elastic and expansive, allowing the diaphragm to move freely and flatten fully during each inhale. But when the lungs are inflamed, congested, or restricted, due to asthma, shallow breathing, illness, or poor posture, they create resistance that limits diaphragm movement. Over time, this forces the diaphragm to work harder, leading to fatigue, tension, and decreased functionality. A weakened or restricted diaphragm can no longer support optimal digestion, lymphatic flow, or emotional regulation through the vagus nerve.
Shallow breathing caused by poor lung health keeps the body in a chronic stress state, elevating cortisol and decreasing oxygen availability. This not only tightens the diaphragm but also disrupts posture, immune support, and energy levels. Fortunately, the relationship is trainable: improving lung function through nasal breathing, breathwork, and posture expands lung capacity and restores the diaphragm’s rhythm. When both systems are supported, the body breathes deeper, moves better, and feels safer, unlocking more resilience, clarity, and calm with every breath.
It’s all connected
Our breath is the invisible thread that weaves through every system in the body, regulating our heart rate, digestion, brain function, immune response, and emotional state. Every inhale and exhale sends signals to the nervous system, shaping how we think, feel, move, and heal. When we breathe with awareness, we tap into the deepest form of alignment, body, mind, and spirit working as one. When we don’t, we silently create havoc to our health.
The diaphragm in music
As I shared in my article Breathing for Sports, Music, Health and More, the diaphragm is the foundation of breath control across all disciplines—but in music, it becomes the core of sound itself. For vocalists and wind instrumentalists, a responsive diaphragm supports tone, projection, phrasing, and stamina without straining the voice or body. It allows musicians to shape breath like a sculptor shapes clay, fluid, intentional, and expressive. Without proper diaphragm engagement, breath becomes shallow and uncontrolled, weakening performance and risking injury. Training this vital muscle is what transforms air into artistry.
The diaphragm creates your sound
Whether you sing, play a wind instrument, or even when we speak, it’s the diaphragm that controls the pressure, flow, and stability of your exhale, which directly shapes the quality and resonance of the sound you produce. A strong, flexible diaphragm allows for sustained notes, dynamic control, emotional expression, and vocal endurance. Without it, the voice becomes strained, breathy, or weak, and tone becomes inconsistent. When you learn to engage and release the diaphragm with intention, you unlock your true voice, not just one that’s heard, but one that resonates
Why you should strengthen your diaphragm during postpartum
After childbirth, the core and pelvic floor undergo significant stress, and the diaphragm an essential part of your core system, is often overlooked in recovery. A weakened or underused diaphragm can affect posture, digestion, emotional regulation, and even contribute to pelvic floor dysfunction. Strengthening the diaphragm postpartum helps reestablish intra-abdominal pressure, supports organ repositioning, and restores the breath-body connection that may have been lost during pregnancy and delivery.
To begin, practice gentle diaphragmatic breathing while lying on your back with knees bent focus on expanding the belly, ribs, and lower back with each inhale, and softening the body on the exhale. Use positions like Child’s Pose or Supported Bridge to create space for the diaphragm to move freely. Incorporate slow, intentional breath holds at the top or bottom of the breath to build control and endurance. With consistent practice, your diaphragm becomes a bridge to healing helping you feel more grounded, stronger, and more connected in your body again.
Our diaphragm over the years
Like any muscle, the diaphragm changes with age, and how we breathe throughout our life determines whether it strengthens or weakens. In childhood, the diaphragm is typically used effortlessly, with deep belly breaths that support growth and nervous system development. But over time, stress, sedentary lifestyles, poor posture, and shallow breathing habits can restrict its movement. As we age, the diaphragm can become less elastic, less responsive, and even droop from years of underuse, leading to reduced lung capacity, weakened core strength, poor digestion, and chronic fatigue. However, with intentional breathwork and mindful movement, we can restore diaphragm function at any age, improving vitality, emotional balance, and overall quality of life well into later years.
What are the benefits of a strong diaphragm?
A strong diaphragm doesn’t just improve breathing, it transforms how your entire body functions. It supports spinal alignment and core stability, reducing back pain and improving posture without effort. It stimulates the vagus nerve, helping regulate mood, digestion, heart rate, and immune response. A strong diaphragm also enhances detoxification by massaging internal organs and improving lymphatic flow, something most people don’t realize simple breathing can do. When the diaphragm is strong and responsive, your body moves with more ease, your mind feels calmer, and your resilience, physically and emotionally, deepens.
10 tips on how to strengthen the diaphragm
1. Practice diaphragmatic (belly) breathing
Lie on your back with one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your belly, not your chest, to rise, then exhale slowly. This simple practice retrains your diaphragm to take the lead and strengthens its movement over time. Just 5-10 minutes daily builds awareness and power.
2. Use nasal breathing throughout the day
Breathing through your nose naturally encourages diaphragmatic engagement and filters, warms, and humidifies air. It also creates resistance that conditions the lungs and diaphragm to work efficiently. Make nasal breathing your default while walking, working out, and even sleeping to strengthen the diaphragm without needing to work for it.
3. Incorporate breath holds (CO₂ tolerance training)
After exhaling gently, hold your breath for a few seconds and build gradually over time. This strengthens the diaphragm’s ability to manage pressure, increases lung efficiency, and improves your nervous system's resilience under stress. Always practice breath holds in a safe, seated position and never while driving or in water.
4. Use resistance breathing tools
Tools like breathing masks or resistance trainers add load to the diaphragm, making it work harder just like lifting weights for your lungs. These devices strengthen the inspiratory muscles and improve breath control, especially helpful for athletes, singers, and those recovering from respiratory conditions.
5. Sing or hum regularly
Vocal exercises naturally engage the diaphragm, requiring control, coordination, and breath stamina. Singing or humming on a sustained exhale strengthens diaphragmatic tone while also stimulating the vagus nerve, which supports relaxation and emotional regulation.
6. Try balloon breathing exercises
Blowing up a balloon with slow, steady exhales engages deep core and diaphragmatic strength. It forces the diaphragm to resist back-pressure while controlling the flow of air, building both power and precision. It's a fun, simple tool with measurable benefits for all ages. Do not try if you are allergic to latex.
7. Add movement: Yoga or pilates
Yoga poses like Cobra, Bridge, or Cat-Cow expand the rib cage and invite deep breath, while Pilates activates core control through breath-guided movement. These practices train the diaphragm to work in harmony with posture, core, and mobility. Breath + movement = functional strength.
8. Strengthen posture to support the diaphragm
Slouching compresses the diaphragm and restricts its range. Strengthening posture
through back, shoulder, and core exercises gives the diaphragm room to move. The better your posture, the more effectively your diaphragm can engage and support full-body health.
9. Use breath cadence with music
Breath cadence becomes even more powerful when paired with music. I teach a unique technique that involves inhaling and exhaling to the slow backbeat of any rhythmic track, allowing the body to sync with the breath and the music at the same time. This method not only strengthens the diaphragm but also calms the nervous system and sharpens internal rhythm and focus. Breathing in tempo builds control, deepens awareness, and makes breath training more intuitive and enjoyable. Let the music guide your breath, and watch your endurance expand.
10. Laugh, cough, and sigh intentionally
Yes, natural reflexes like laughing, coughing, and sighing powerfully activate the diaphragm. Doing these actions with full breath awareness strengthens its reflexive function. Turn everyday moments into diaphragm training with mindful, full-bodied expression.
Why a breath coach can strengthen your diaphragm for professional use
Whether you're an athlete chasing peak performance, a musician perfecting your sound, or a health professional seeking to regulate stress and stamina, your diaphragm is the engine behind it all. But like any powerful system, it needs expert guidance to reach its full potential. As an expert breath practitioner with over two decades of experience, I specialize in helping professionals strengthen their diaphragm not just for deeper breathing, but for sharper focus, improved recovery, enhanced sound, and greater control under pressure. My coaching goes beyond technique. I tailor each session to your field, training your breath to work for you in the moments that matter most. Investing in your breath is investing in your performance, and I'm here to help you master both. Connect with me here to start training.
Read more from Remington Steele
Remington Steele, Intuitive Breath Practitioner, Emotional Wellness Coach & Philanthropist
Remington Steele is an Intuitive Breath Practitioner, Emotional Wellness Coach, and the visionary founder of Breathe With Rem and We Are The Village – Teen Moms. A philanthropist and author of Breathe With Me, Remington’s work is rooted in healing, empowerment, and generational transformation. As a former teen mother herself, she has turned her personal journey into a mission to guide others through intentional breathing, holistic wellness, and community-centered care.
