breathing

NOTHING IS DIFFICULT TO THOSE WHO HAVE THE WILL

Dutch Poet’s Society

Breathing: A Deeply Overlooked Matter

The Significance of Each Breath
Breathing is probably much more involved than you may realize. We take about 20,000 breaths each day and use up to nearly 20 different muscles during each one. The manner in which these muscles are used can restrict oxygen intake, and as a result, cause cell malfunction and possibly lead to disease.
Diaphragm Breathing
The diaphragm is a sheet of muscle located at the base of the rib cage that plays a significant role in proper breathing technique. When contracted, it expands the thoracic cavity, creates negative pressure to draw air into the lungs, and provides the additional space needed for the lungs to expand for a full breath of air. If this function is compromised or underutilized, the effective capacity of the lungs will decrease and less oxygen will be taken in.
Chest Breathing
With or without the use of the diaphragm, chest expansion is another form of breathing that will draw air into the lungs. However, from an evolutionary perspective, this capability is intended only for situations that require additional oxygen consumption, such as strenuous physical activity.
Due to the influences of modern society, many people fall into the habit of taking quick shallow breaths through the chest rather than slow deep breaths through the diaphragm.
Causes of Poor Breathing Technique
As part of the “fight or flight” stress response, any type of stressful stimulus will promote chest expansion to help us inhale the additional oxygen the body thinks it needs to flee from danger. Because the body doesn’t differentiate life threatening danger from the common stresses of modern fast paced living, simple forms of daily stress can provoke a long term habit of breathing through the chest instead of the diaphragm.
Furthermore, many of us spend most of the day sitting. This promotes a hunched posture that restricts the diaphragm from functioning properly and further encourages chest expansion. As a result, the small accessory muscles associated with chest expansion become become tight and promote forward head posture. In turn, this worsens the hunched posture that was already restricting diaphragm function. The resulting downward spiral of improper breathing and poor posture can lead to painful muscle and joint problems in addition to the oxygen deprivation.
Practice Proper Breathing
Because breathing is such a vital requirement for life, and because it’s so easy to do, there’s no excuse to not practice and reinforce proper technique.
Assessing proper breathing technique is very easy to do. Simply lie on your back with a light object rested on your stomach. With proper diaphragm function, the object should rise as you inhale and lower as you exhale. You should also be able to take in a full breath without expanding your chest.
This test can also be done on a regular basis as an exercise to reinforce proper diaphragmatic breathing. Once you’re comfortable with it, you can do the exercise anywhere without having to lie down and without resting an object on your stomach.
Double Your Time With Stress Relief
Deep breathing is an excellent way to relieve it. Since we all have stress, breathing exercises are something we can all benefit from. By focusing on proper use of the diaphragm during these breathing exercises, you’ll be making two significant contributions to your health at the same time. Furthermore, your focus on breathing technique will distract you from your worries and will make it even easier to dissipate your stress.

OF COURSE IT’S HARD. IT’S SUPPOSE TO BE HARD. IF IT WERE EASY, EVERYBODY WOULD DO IT. HARD IS WHAT MAKES IT GREAT!

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