I’ve always thought breathing was a simple process, an instinct, rather. Something that happened naturally and didn’t require much thinking. As it turns out, it is so much more.
I first discovered I wasn’t breathing effectively when I began my journey with yoga. At the time it seemed to be a simple thing — isn’t breathing just breathing? But the more I explored the breath, the more I realised how truly important it is. The way we breathe directly affects our bodies, our mind, our mood, and everything we do. And it’s such a simple thing to alter, to intentionally shift to improve our health.
Are you breathing efficiently?
Did you know there were efficient ways to breathe? As an example, when we’re looking at stress, breathing is the most important root to tackling it. The way we breathe can actually influence the state of our central nervous system. And it’s important to know the respiration
“The way we breathe can actually influence the state of our central nervous system..”
difference between diaphragmatic breathing and respiration. One is an automatic process, the other can help you destress, improve your health, and instantly bring you feelings of calm and relaxation. While they are both interrelated, respiration and breathing are actually entirely different processes. Respiration is automatic, while breathing can be both influenced by and influence your physical and emotional state. When we stress, we breathe differently than we do when we’re relaxed.
To keep it simple — the primary muscles involved in breathing are the diaphragm (which sits underneath our rib cage), and the intercostals (interspersed between the ribs). When our bodies are under stress, we’ll prioritise using accessory muscles to breathe — our neck or chest muscles. This process facilitates a stress response, meaning that this type of breathing actually induces more stress on our body. We’ll often find that we do this throughout large parts of our day when we’re busy going through the daily motions and demands of life. Diaphragmatic breathing does the opposite – it induces a state of calm and relaxes our body.
Stressed breathing
Stress causes your body to rely on the sympathetic nervous system (our flight or fight system). This system relies more on the muscles in your chest and neck to breathe instead of the muscles in the abdomen, inducing stress and pressure on your body.
Recovery breathing
Breath that relies on the parasympathetic nervous system facilitates recovery — your heart rate slows down, your body relaxes, and your breath becomes a calming state. This type of breathing relies on your diaphragm.
Exercises
If you’re still convinced breathing is just a matter of automatic instinct — try one of the following exercises and feel the difference yourself. These exercises will help to instantly shift your body from stressed breathing to recovery breathing, inviting in a wave of calm and relaxed energy.
1. Crocodile breathing
Facing down, place your head on top of your arms (similar to the way you fall asleep with your arms crossed underneath your head). Inhale through the nose, pressing your belly against the floor and breathing into the lower back whilst expanding your rib cage. Take a brief pause between each inhalation and exhalation, and a longer (2-3 seconds) pause before you begin the next breath cycle.
2. Side-lying breathing
Lying on your back with your knees bent out to one side, reach one arm across your body away from your knees and place your hand on your opposite elbow (keeping your opposite arm resting flat against your body, lying straight). Looking directly up at the ceiling, take big, deep breaths through your nose whilst pressing your ribs up against your arm. After a few breaths, turn your head to the side and repeat a few breaths on each side.
3. Weighted breathing
Lying on your back, place your feet on the floor (or you can leave your legs flat on the floor). Place a light, weight of less than 4kg on top of your belly. Inhale through the nose while consciously pushing against the weight as you do so. Completely exhale past the point where you normally would, trying to fully empty your lungs.
Breathing really can change your health. And it is so much more than an automatic process or instinct. It’s a simple way to connect with, alter, and improve your entire wellbeing. Each of these exercises will help you connect
“3-4 minutes doing one of these exercises will help in clearing your mind, calming your body and helping you to relax and breathe out the stress of the day.”
connect with your diaphragm muscle. Choose which one works best for you — and practice breathing with that technique. As little as 3-4 minutes doing one of these exercises will help in clearing your mind, calming your body, and helping you to relax and breathe out the stress of the day.
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