The Power of Breath

We breathe all day every day, but did you know that you can use that breath to drastically shift the state of your nervous system and transform your health?

In today’s society most people have become chronic ‘chest breathers’, meaning that the breath only moves in and out of the upper portion of the lungs. This results in shorter breaths and less oxygen reaching the blood stream. This shallow breathing is a result of the sympathetic nervous system, or fight/flight/freeze, activation. When we feel stressed or anxious our breath becomes more shallow which speeds up the heart rate. This used to be a helpful response when in the face of real danger, such as a hungry tiger. Nowadays, this stress response is triggered by much less life threatening situations and serves mainly only to perpetuate stress and anxiety. We feel stress, so we breathe more shallow, then this shallow breath stimulates our stress response further and it becomes a vicious cycle. This is why it is CRUCIAL to be able to tune in to your breath, take control and intentionally change the state of your nervous system.

Breathing is unique in that it is the only function of the body that is under both voluntary and involuntary control. Breathing happens automatically and we can consciously control it. This is important because it creates a bridge between the conscious mind and the unconsicous functioning of our brains and bodies. The magic lies in being able to use the breathe to stimulate change in the nervous system which impacts not only the physical body but the mental and emotional realms as well.

In the article “BREATHE” by Carl Krucoff, he sites James Gordon, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the Georgetown University School of Medicine and director of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in the District, saying, “Slow, deep breathing is probably the single best anti-stress medicine we have. When you bring air down into the lower portion of the lungs, where oxygen exchange is most efficient, everything changes. Heart rate slows, blood pressure decreases, muscles relax, anxiety eases and the mind calms. Breathing this way also gives people a sense of control over their body and their emotions that is extremely therapeutic.”.

So how and when should you practice this breathing?

How: Belly breathing. We have most likely been taught by the media and cultural norms to suck in our bellies and puff out our chest. For breathing, this is exactly the opposite. You want the breath to flow all of the way down into the lower portions of the lungs, which naturally causes the belly to expand as well. Then you fill the lungs from the bottom to the top, until you feel the breath all the way underneath your collarbones. Another thing to note is that the lungs expand in 360 degrees, meaning that your ribcage should also expand to the sides and to the back. Imagine your diaphragm, running along the bottom of your ribcage, is like an umbrella. When you take a full, deep breath that umbrella opens up and expands in every direction.

To begin, bring your attention to your breathing. Next, draw your breath in slowly and consciously pausing at the top, feeling your lungs full. Then on the exhale feel free to sigh it out or make a sound as you let all of the air, tension and stress dissolve.

When: Anytime. Breathing is totally safe, totally free and always accessible. You can take just a few of these nourishing breaths whenever you feel stress start to arise - in traffic, in a meeting, before a difficult conversation, when your child or partner says something that triggers you. You can also use this breath to transition from one part of your day to the next - before heading to work, before heading home, before starting a project - or any time throughout the day when you want to reset.

Breathing technique are also incredibly useful in reducing pain, alleviating anxiety and improving overall health.

For more information on the incredible use of breathing techniques and to learn several more check out this article from the Washington Post - BREATHE

Breathwork - A note on breathwork here. The breath is a powerful tool for shifting energy and creating change in the physical, mental and emotional bodies. There are many different types of breathwork, some are long breathwork practices in which you breathe in a specific pattern for up to 45 minutes in order to create a change of state or consicousness. These sessions are great for working through trauma, facilitating major breakthroughs and deep inner healing. There are also shorter, more accessible forms of breathwork in which you use your breathe to shift your energy and align yourself with how you want to feel. If you are interested in learning more about that I highly recommend checking out the Breath Channel by Stevie Wright where she has an extensive library of breathwork practices to help with everything from grief to grounding to abundance to you name it. You can find out more here - The Breath Channel