There is a reason breathing techniques are utilized so much: women are taught how to breathe to ease labor pains, children are told to breathe when they are overwhelmed, and many practices such as yoga and meditation use it too. Many of us do not bring much attention to our breathing as it is an automatic pattern. But bringing your attention to it and making a few minor changes can have widespread health impacts.
Nearly 80 percent of messages between the body and the brain come from the body. Many of us breathe shallowly, causing us to take more breaths to get adequate oxygen. This shallow, rapid breathing signals our brain that we are in a stressful situation. This signal causes the brain to tell the body to release hormones, such as cortisol, to help the body get through stressful situations. Unnecessary increased cortisol levels long-term can lead to increased blood pressure, chronic inflammation, and pain.
Shallow, rapid breathing also hinders the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid. The diaphragm, the muscle responsible for contracting and relaxing the lungs, helps to push lymphatic fluid through the body which moves waste and metabolites to the liver and heart to be filtered and excreted. Shallow breathing also hinders the oxygenation of the blood and doesn’t allow for the powerful CO2 removal that deeper breaths do.
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The next time you are stuck at a red light, before getting out of bed in the morning, and before falling asleep, bring your attention to your breath. Count to five as you inhale through the nose, hold for three seconds, then count to five as you breathe out through the mouth. Put brightly colored reminders throughout your home or office or set reminders on your phone to breathe deeply throughout the day. This practice will help calm your body and mind, as well as help your circulation.
