Did that title leave you scratching your head, clicking through to read because you just had to know what on earth I was talking about? Do you breathe properly? Do you facilitate your own anxiety? Pain? Are there hallmark signs in your breathing that are telling you your nervous system is dysregulated? That your adrenals are making themselves known? Yes, all of these symptoms lie within your breath: The Lost Art of Breathing: Why have we forgotten?
There is a powerful balance created when we breathe properly, fully opening our diaphragm, breathing is slow and rhythmic, not shallow through the mouth, fully expanding the chest. What do I mean? Let’s first look at how not to breathe and analyze what the research tells us as to why not.
Shallow Chest Breathers
A baby naturally and instinctively breathes in through their nose filling their belly and lungs, but it is a skill that quickly fades. Those instincts are replaced by shallow breathers, breathing in through the mouth, shoulders drawn forward closing off the heart, and in turn compressing the diaphragm. Whether or not this is a cause of effect of a stressful lifestyle is an interesting argument, but it is exacerbated by many things including environmental stressors, life stressors, poor posture, desk workers, ‘pulling in our abdomen’, and more.
We likely do not even give the pattern and habits a second thought, until we do and then it takes quite a bit of work and conscious effort to rehabilitate it.
What are the Issues?
When we do not breathe fully in through the nose and expand our belly, diaphragm, and lungs, in that order, we facilitate a constant state of fight or flight in the body. Read more about fight or flight here. The sympathetic nervous system goes on overload, and it can take much more work than we might imagine finding that state of relaxation in homeostasis.
Think of the issue of shallow breathing in terms of range of motion. Shallow breathing severely decreases the range of motion of our diaphragm, which is a strong sheet of muscle that can weaken over time. One responsibility of the diaphragm is to carry oxygen to cells and organs of the body. When you never get fully oxygenated air, you likely feel short of breath and anxious. One sign there is an issue that might surprise you, repeat sighing.
An easy Google search will tell you that repeat sighing is a stress response, but a little more digging will also show that it is a sign of not getting enough oxygen. Compare it to yawning. Yes, you may in fact be tired, but it is due to reasons very similar to sighing, something called air hunger (MyTherapy). Your body is actually deprived of oxygen, it is a sign to pay attention to.
Shallow breathing can result in hypoxemia, headaches, extreme fatigue, restlessness, rapid breathing to try and compensate, and may even interfere in healthy heart and brain dysfunction (Cleveland Clinic). This is also the cause and result of a true panic attack!
What can we do now?
The art of breathing properly is a multifaceted issue, therefore the solution will reflect that. A few things need to be addressed at the same time. Posture needs to be addressed including strengthening the core (not just abdominal muscles) and focus needs to be placed on pulling the shoulders back and opening the pectoral muscles.
- Using a yoga strap or exercise band, work to open up the pectoral muscles. When we round our shoulders, over time our pectoral muscles shorten and tighten, amplifying the posture issues and making it impossible to get a full, deep breath.
Shoulder and pectoral stretches
- A basic but effective tool to get you started with belly breathing is to lay flat on your back, placing a towel or bolster under your knees if needed and place a medium size and weight book on your belly. Close your eyes and begin breathing through your nose, in and out, and feel the book moving up and down. As you become more comfortable, move up to something heavier like a larger bag of rice, something closer to 8-10 pounds. Try and set aside 5 minutes a day for this exercise.
- While you are driving, watching TV, or even cooking dinner, practice breathing techniques meant to encourage breathing in through your nose, opening up your chest, and lowering stress levels in the body such as Dr. Weil’s 4-7-8 breath.
Dr. Weil’s 4-7-8 Breathing Technique
- Last, but definitely not least, is working to lower your stress levels, or be able to better manage them. Rather than recreate the wheel, I will direct you to further reading within my website.
Bergamot Essential Oil to Support our Mental Wellness
Breathing Exercises to Calm Children of All Ages
Coping Skills, Resilience and Stress Levels in our Youth
What is the Science Behind Essential Oils for our Emotional Health
Watch for more advanced breathing technique blogs and videos coming soon,
Wishing you abundant health & happiness,
Xo Leslie
Like so many practices in life, I encourage you to become educated on the proper use of essential oils. When using them, please do so cautiously, understanding that there is often misinformation on the internet. You can be assured that I support only educated and proven resources. While essential oils should not be feared they should be respected and used properly to ensure the safety of the individuals using them.
Please note that I am not a medical practitioner. The content of this website is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended as, nor should it be considered a substitute for, professional medical advice. Do not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating any medical or health condition. If you have or suspect you have a medical problem, promptly contact your professional healthcare provider. By using this website, you assume full responsibility and liability for your own actions.
References
Hypoxemia: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments. (n.d.). Retrieved October 18, 2020, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17727-hypoxemia
MyTherapyApp (2019, June 06). Air Hunger and Anxiety: What is the Connection? Retrieved October 18, 2020, from https://www.mytherapyapp.com/blog/anxiety-and-air-hunger
