Take a deep breath.
Breathing is our foundation. It's the first thing we do when we come into the world, and the last thing we do before departing. Our breath is the connection between our mind and body, and has immense impact on all we do.
Now, more than ever, mindfully attuning to the breath is an easy, accessible, and free way to improve our physical and mental health and well-being.
Did you know:
Humans take between 17,000 and 23,000 breaths per day, without even having to think about it. Automatic breathing happens in our bodies without our conscious effort, thanks to the help of the medulla oblongata, the same part of our brain that controls involuntary responses such as vomiting and heart rate.
However, just because breathing is an involuntary function doesn’t mean humans can’t control it. Psychologists have found that breathing practice is effective in fighting anxiety, depression, and stress. Physiological evidence has indicated that even a single breathing practice significantly reduces blood pressure.
How is it that our breath is so important that controlling it can alter our mental state? One of the reasons is that the breath is correlated to the vagus nerve, one of the cranial nerves that allows communication between brain and body. The vagus nerve can be activated through deep diaphragmatic breathing (note--this is different from belly breathing; see below), which can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. This helps take us out of “fight or flight” (the stressed response of the sympathetic nervous system).
In addition to the psychological impacts of controlling our breath, we also know that the muscles of respiration benefit from breathwork. These muscles contribute to inhalation and exhalation by aiding in the expansion and contraction of the thoracic cavity (space inside ribcage, sternum, and upper spine). The diaphragm and, to a lesser extent, the intercostal muscles, drive respiration during quiet breathing, with additional muscles used in certain types of breathing. In general, it is important to maintain elasticity of the respiratory muscles in order to keep the respiratory system healthy and fully functional.
So, how can we keep our bodies and brains healthy by developing a breathing practice?
Here are two practices I use with my clients with positive results.
360 Breathing
360 breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing, is different than belly breathing. It is diaphragmatic in that it is truly trying to mobilize and elasticize the diaphragm muscle through its full range.
With 360 breathing, the breath moves into the sides of the ribcage, the back, forward into the belly, and down into the back of the pelvis. The breath doesn’t move up into the shoulders or neck (shallow breathing). The idea is to be able to expand the breath and send oxygen all through the body (360 degrees) to move the muscles, massage the joints and organs, and create space inside the body.
The inhale is typically done through the nose, the exhale gently through the mouth (fog up a mirror).
Sit or lie in a comfortable position. Inhale through the nose, expanding the breath to the back and side ribs, down into the back and pelvis, and gently into the belly. Make a conscious effort to direct the breath back and down, instead of up into the shoulders and neck. You could think of a balloon expanding in multiple directions; it’s a little bit of pressure, but it’s not going to pop.
Exhale slowly through the mouth, imagining every last bit of air emptying out of the body. (The balloon deflates.)
Repeat for several minutes.
2. Box Breathing
The idea of box breathing is to slow and control the breath. Imagine a square box with 4 sides. Each part of the breathing exercise is a side of the square and is done for 4 counts.
Before you start this exercise, feel free to take a giant breath in, and a relaxed breath out. Sit in a place that feels supported for your spine.
Inhale through your nose for 4 counts.
Hold at the top of the inhale for 4 counts.
Exhale through your mouth for 4 counts.
Hold at the bottom of the exhale for 4 counts.
(Feel free to experiment with the length of the exhale, increasing it if possible by 1 or 2 counts as you progress in your breathwork. Increasing the length of the exhale will continue to stimulate the calming response of the parasympathetic nervous system.)
Practice this exercise for 5-10 minutes, or until you feel your nervous system calm down and your anxiety decrease.
Do you have any thoughts or questions regarding the power of breath? Reply below in the comments, or send me an email!