TAKE A DEEP BREATH...IT'S MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU KNOW!

It’s been a hectic day at work, there are 50 things you need to have done by tomorrow, the kids need taxi-ing to after school sports and you’re at the end of your tether…

 Just pause. Take a deep breath or two. Feel better?

 Ahh, the power of the breath… Anyone who is an avid yogi or meditator will know what I’m talking about here. It’s the age-old antidote to stress and overwhelm, and it works.

But why? Let us turn to the science…

Breathing for better gas exchange.

To facilitate the movement of air into the lungs, we rely on the diaphragm - a dome shaped muscle at the bottom of the ribcage - to flatten, pull downwards and draw the air inwards (a bit like a suction). A form of deeper breathing known as ‘diaphragmatic breathing’ focuses on the use of the diaphragm to pull the air down to the lower parts of the lungs, where pockets of lung tissue known as alveoli reside. These alveoli are the location of gas exchange. Here, oxygen is taken from the air in the lungs and moved into the blood stream, and carbon dioxide from in your blood is moved to the lungs to be exhaled. To maximise this exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the blood stream and the environment, we want to be pulling the air deep into the lungs and filling up these pockets as much as we can (because let’s be honest, oxygen is kind of important for our survival, right?)

…. But wait, there’s more!

Breathing for the nervous system.

A quick introduction. Our breathing is regulated by a part of our nervous system called the ‘autonomic’ nervous system. You can think of this as the ‘automatic’ system - it is responsible for the bodily functions that operate without our conscious control, along with our heart rate, digestion, and temperature control. The interesting thing is that one of those variables we can exert some conscious control over… Which one could it be, I wonder??

Even more interesting is that by modifying our breathing, we actually can influence these other variables also!

The autonomic nervous system can be split into two branches - the sympathetic nervous system, and the parasympathetic nervous system. These two branches can be considered as two sides to the same coin, they influence the same thing, but in opposite. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for what we call our ‘fight or flight’ response, or in other words, all of the processes that happen in the body when we need to get away from danger. Increasing heart rate, increasing cortisol levels (the ‘stress’ hormone), increasing breathing rate, etc etc, in order to prepare the body to either fight the threat, or run away from it. In our caveman days, this would have been a helpful and necessary response to escape from a tiger or hunt down a bear. In today’s world, you are probably more likely to trigger this system in response to an overwhelming work deadline, public speaking, being late to a meeting or someone pulling out in front of you while driving.

The opposite end of the spectrum is the parasympathetic nervous system. This system acts to bring the body into ‘rest and digest’ mode, allowing it to process and recover. Slowed heart rate, slowed breathing rate, the digestion of food, the removal of toxins in the body, etc. This system is particularly active when we are sleeping, and is hugely important for allowing the body to cope with the demands of a busy day-to-day life.

Breathing stimulates ‘rest and digest’

Many people live their lives in ‘sympathetic drive’ where their body basically thinks that they are in danger all the time. Diaphragmatic breathing allows us to interject and put a stop to this ‘stress’ response. Scientific studies have shown us that in a single session alone, it can decrease blood pressure, improve blood oxygenation and help to regulate the heart rate variability. An 8 week training program of diaphragmatic breathing revealed decreased circulating cortisol levels, reduced negative thinking, and even improved cognition. Numerous other studies highlight the positive long-term effects of diaphragmatic breathing on stress management, anxiety and depression.

The reason it works is that slowed, deep breathing stimulates the vagus nerve. This nerve is considered responsible for the ‘brain-body connection’, a highway that runs between your brain and your gut, branching out and connecting to many of the other major organs on the way down, including the heart. Ever wondered why being nervous or anxious can also create feelings of nausea and increased heart rate? The vagus nerve influences the regulation of the cardiovascular system, as well as many aspects of emotional regulation. Now we see just how strongly our mental well-being influences our physical health.

By stimulating this nerve with deep, slow breathing, we can help to balance the autonomic nervous system between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Taking us out of the ‘fight or flight’ and into the ‘rest and digest’, so that our body can relax and recover.

It is one of the most simple, effective and under-utilized tools that I teach my mental health clients. Consider it a way to hack your own system. How amazing is it that breathing deeply has such super powers?! The body is capable of such self soothing and healing when we give it the time and the right environment to do so. The best part about it is that it’s 100% free and requires very little skill to complete, no equipment, and only a few minutes a day.

Here’s how to get some of this goodness for yourself:

 Lay on your back, one hand on your belly, the other hand on your chest. Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4 sec, drawing air down to the lowest part of the lungs, so that you feel your belly rise. Now the real magic happens during the exhale. Breathe out slowly through the mouth to a count of 6-8 sec, aiming to extend the exhale phase of the breath. Breathe like this for a couple of minutes and see how you feel.

Zen?? Sleepy?

 So yes. If you’ve had a stressful day. If things just aren’t going your way. If it feels like the world is caving in on you… Just stop and take a few deep breaths.

 Ahh, the power of the breath… Get some free natural healing in you today!

References:

The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults - Ma et al. 2017