HOW TO BREATHE WELL AND RECOVER QUICKER!
November 08, 2021
We all breathe and fail to pay much attention to how we control it, except when we find we are out of breath or suffering from an allergy, illness or respiratory infection.
So … How do we breathe?
There are different types, or modes, of breathing that are required in different situations to allow efficient inspiration and expiration. All mammals have lungs that are the main organs for breathing and lung capacity has evolved to support each animal’s activities. During inhalation, the lungs expand with air and oxygen diffuses across the lung’s surface, entering the bloodstream. During exhalation, lung volume decreases and carbon dioxide is expelled.
Quiet breathing/Eupnoea:
When we breathe at rest the process does not require the cognitive thought of the individual. During quiet breathing expiration occurs with just the elastic recoil of the lungs.
Deep breathing/Diaphragmatic breathing:
This type of breathing requires the diaphragm to contract. The diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle at the base of the lungs that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity, plays an important role. When you inhale, your diaphragm contracts (tightens) and moves downward. This creates more space in your chest cavity, allowing the lungs to expand. When you exhale, the opposite happens — your diaphragm relaxes and moves upward in the chest cavity.
All of us are born with the knowledge of how to fully engage the diaphragm to take deep, refreshing breaths. As we get older, however, we get out of the habit. Everything from the stresses of everyday life, to poor posture encourages us to gradually shift to shallower, less efficient costal or upper chest breathing.
Relearning how to breathe from the diaphragm is beneficial for everyone. Diaphragmatic breathing (also called abdominal breathing) encourages full oxygen exchange, which is the beneficial trade of incoming oxygen for outgoing carbon dioxide. This type of breathing slows the heartbeat and can lower or stabilise blood pressure.
How to diaphragmatically breathe:
- Lie on your back on a flat surface (or in bed) with your knees bent. You can use a pillow under your head and your knees for support, if that’s more comfortable. Alternatively you can sit in a chair, with your knees bent and your shoulders, head, and neck relaxed.
- Place one hand on your upper chest and the other on your tummy, just below your rib cage.
- Breathe in slowly through your nose, letting the air in deeply, towards your lower ribs. The hand on your chest should remain still, while the one on your tummy should rise.
- Tighten your abdominal muscles and let them pull inward as you exhale through pursed lips. The hand on your tummy should move down to its original position.
It is good to practice this for five minutes, several times a day if possible.
Forced breathing/Hyperpnoea:
We use this type of breathing during exercise or actions that require active control of breathing, such as singing. Here inspiration and expiration both occur due to muscle contractions. In addition to the contraction of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, other muscles are involved. During forced inspiration, muscles of the neck, including the scalenes, contract and lift the thoracic wall, increasing lung volume. During forced expiration, accessory muscles of the abdomen, including the oblique abdominal muscles, contract, forcing abdominal organs upward against the diaphragm. This helps to push the diaphragm further into the thorax, pushing more air out. In addition, accessory muscles (primarily the internal intercostals) help to compress the rib cage, which also reduces the volume of the thoracic cavity.
There are many different techniques to help us breathe more efficiently, with particular techniques for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and asthma. But for all of us the techniques described in this blog can help to calm us down, relieve stress and can help us relax and get to sleep. Alongside diaphragmatic breathing there is also square breathing and alternate nostril breathing as described below.
Square breathing
Can be useful in many situations, including:
- As a calming technique when feeling overwhelmed or in a stressful situation
- When trying to get to sleep
- To kick start a creative project
- When you need to clear your head
- When planning for the day
- When making a big decision
Use this phrasing whilst practicing the technique:
Inhale 2-3-4, hold 2-3- 4, exhale 2-3-4, rest 2-3-4 then repeat.
Alternate nostril breathing
(originating from Yoga practice)
A study carried out over 12 weeks of practice found the participants had improvement in heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure. The participants were taught the practice for 30 minutes three times per week by a certified yoga instructor.
Sharma VK, Trakroo M, Subramaniam V, Rajajeyakumar M, Bhavanani AB, Sahai A. Effect of fast and slow pranayama on perceived stress and cardiovascular parameters in young health-care students. Int J Yoga [serial online] 2013 [cited 2021 Nov 8];6:104-10. Available from: https://www.ijoy.org.in/text.asp?2013/6/2/104/113400
To practice alternate nostril breathing:
- Sit in a comfortable position with your legs crossed.
- Place your left hand on your left knee.
- Lift your right hand up toward your nose.
- Exhale completely and then use your right thumb to close your right nostril.
- Inhale through your left nostril and then close the left nostril with your fingers.
- Open the right nostril and exhale through this side.
- Inhale through the right nostril and then close this nostril.
- Open the left nostril and exhale through the left side.
- This is one cycle.
- Continue for up to 5 minutes.
- Always complete the practice by finishing with an exhale on the left side.
BWT physios are trained to help you breathe more efficiently, we will help with your posture, stamina, lung capacity and ability to relax. All of which can help with the healing process of injuries and illness. We will always treat you as a person and not an isolated condition.
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