How does your breath impact your health?

Breathing. It sounds simple, and we all do it, but why is breath awareness important?

Breath and the stress response

When your nervous system detects a threat and notices an activated stress response, it may keep you safe by telling the body to hold onto tension. This leads to an increase in heart rate, a speeding up of the breath and a release of stress hormones. Your body can then take on defensive holding patterns affecting certain muscle groups. Your thinking mind may move on from the stress, but the nervous system hasn’t realised you are safe. You can use your breath to guide your body and nervous system back to a calmer state or a new sense of safety. As your breathing slows, your heart rate drops, your blood pressure lowers, and your body is guided back into that calm state. 

While reading this, can you take a moment to check in with your breath? Why not pause for a moment, close your eyes, breathe in slowly and fully through the nose, feel your belly and rib cage expand, and slowly release that breath out through the mouth when you’re ready. Let the body relax and breathe slowly as you go about your day.

Here are some simple steps for diaphragmatic breathing:

1.      Lay on your back on a flat surface with your head and legs supported, if needed. You can be seated if that is more comfortable.

2.      Place your hands on your stomach just above your belly button.

3.      Breathe through your nose and feel your hands rise towards the ceiling.  You may also imagine filling up a balloon inside your body.

4.      Imagine the balloon shrinking as you breathe out through your mouth.

5.      Once you have found your rhythm, slide your hands to your rib cage.  Feel the rib cage, moving your hands out to the side. Your stomach will still feel like it is lifting to the ceiling.

6.      Once you have found your rhythm, place two fingers on your sternum (breastbone) and feel it lift towards the ceiling. Your stomach and rib cage should still feel like they are moving gently and steadily.

After a few rounds, allow your breathing to return to its natural rhythm.

If you are curious about exploring what is happening with your nervous system or want to establish an awareness of what is happening with your breath, consider an intuitive treatment with me. Understanding and working with your unique nervous system is at the core of my work.