Breathing is the most natural thing in the world…or is it? We breathe in precious oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide all day, every day, without any conscious effort. But I would argue that most individuals are breathing in a way that is telling their nervous system to be on high alert, fight-or-flight mode continually. Who hasn’t said to themselves at one time or another, “I just need to take a deep breath”? But do you even know how to do it? Let’s consider for a moment that you have this wonderful resource at your disposal 24/7 that can positively impact your posture, spinal health, lymphatic system, organ health, pelvic floor function, and emotional well-being, and you just need a little guidance to develop its full potential. I’d like to expand on this topic for a moment to discuss the importance of proper breathing techniques, how to assess the quality of your current breathing style, and how diaphragmatic breathing can impact your health.
I’d like for you to get an image of your beautiful lungs in your mind’s eye for a moment. Put simply, the lungs are spongy, air-filled organs that sit on either side of your chest—smaller at the top and bigger at the bottom. If you want to “take a deep breath” , you have to access the biggest part of your lungs. The only way to utilize this largest part of your lungs is via the diaphragm—a complex, dome-shaped composite muscle that lies between the thorax and the abdomen. The diaphragm has many important attachment sites including the sternum, the lower 6 ribs, the deep abdominal muscles and fascia, and the lumbar spine. Since these structure are so closely linked together, we can reasonably assume that disfunction in any of them will directly after the others and are also directly linked to the health and function of the diaphragm (and vice versa). How do you take a deep breath? Let me start by saying you do not take a deep breath if your shoulders are moving up and down. To engage the diaphragm and utilize the largest, most efficient portion of your lungs, your belly must expand on inhale and contract on exhale...no exceptions! It absolutely makes no sense to breathe in a way that lifts your shoulders up and down. When you breathe in this way, you are using the smallest part of your lungs, and ultimately you deactivate your natural breathing neurons, and thus end up with weak breathing muscles. You also have to take more frequent breathes to meet the oxygen demands of your body. The message that the nervous system receives is “increase your heart rate, increase your blood pressure and increase cortisol levels because we are heading for a fight-or-flight situation”. No wonder so many people feel like they are stressed out all the time! In order to get back to breathing the right way, we have to implement strategies to change our breathing habits. Most of our breathing takes place on an unconscious level. However, in order to change unconscious habits, we have to make a conscious effort to practice breathing the correct way. Instead of breathing so that your shoulders go up and down, breathe in a way that makes your stomach move out on inhale and in on exhale. As you become more efficient, you will notice that your bottom ribs will also expand in and out in sync with your breaths. Breathing in this way is directly related to the parasympathetic system, your rest-and-digest system. They are intrinsically linked—your body has no choice but to calm down if you are breathing well. Essentially, there is no way to be stressed out if you are breathing in a way that tells your nervous system to calm down. Another bonus is that proper breathing strategies will also help strengthen your tummy muscles because your engage them when you exhale. There are many opinions on how we transitioned from our natural way of breathing to the ever-popular quick, shallow breathing that is on display all around us. If you watch a baby breathing, you will see their stomaches effortlessly move up and down in perfect rhythm during inhale and exhale. Faulty breathing patterns could certainly be a result of our daily stressors that make us feel guarded—day-to day worries, pressures of the job, aches and pains, emotional trauma…you get the idea. I think vanity also contributes to improper breathing strategies. We don’t want our waist line to expand for heaven’s sake, so we keep our middle sucked in because we think it is more attractive. If you feel like you may not be breathing adequately, the first thing you should do is assess your breathing style. Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your tummy. Try to breathe as you would normally breathe and see which hand is moving, and if both hands are moving then try to assess which is moving more. From there, set aside some time everyday, multiple times throughout your day if possible, so that you can practice proper diaphragmatic breathing strategies. You must practice! There is no other way to change your breathing habits. The best thing you can do is visit a professional, qualified, hands-on physical therapist. He/she will be able to skillfully assess the quality of your breath and implement strategies with a paced approach that will insure your success as your start to change your breathing habits. If you feel that you would like some information about any of the points mentioned today, why not contact us today? We invite you to ask about our free discovery visit and we look forward to assisting you with anything you may need. Remember, we’re here to help, and we cannot wait to hear from you!
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