Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is a very effective method of relaxation. It is at the core of our instinctive instruction “take a couple of deep breaths” when we try to calm someone down, right through to being at the heart of yoga, meditation and Tai Chi teachings.

Looking up breath in the dictionary gives different perspectives:-

Breath – the intake and expulsion of air during respiration in order to take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide.
Breath – to exist or be alive.
To breathe easy or freely – to feel relief
To take ones breath away – to overwhelm with shock or surprise

Deep breathing encourages the use of the lower ribs and the diaphragm to increase the width and depth of the chest. This encourages oxygenated air to flow in as pressure decreases in the lungs. Together the diaphragm and lower ribs have a much greater effect on chest diameters than the upper ribs which are much smaller. The Upper ribs are really designed to be used as extra capacity when we are exerting ourselves, e.g. running or fighting. They are part of the primitive stress response which prepares the body for survival.

Modern stressors often do not require an extreme physical response and changing to a shallow upper chest breathing pattern simply exacerbates or prolongs unpleasant stress feelings.

Posture has a huge impact on our ability to breathe efficiently slumping and slouching blocks the diaphragm and the lower ribs. It is difficult to breathe well in a slumped posture so a regular check on position during the day helps to prevent shallow breathing.

Try this exercise:

Place a soft towel or scarf around the lower ribs, cross the ends at the front and hold one end in each hand.
Without gripping tightly pull the towel firmly around the ribs.
Now breathe in, directing the breath into the towel – wide and deep.
Take care not to raise your shoulders.
Repeat three or four times.

At Play Pause Unwind we link Deep Breathing techniques with Visualisation in order to optimise the beneficial effects. Click her to find out more about our workhops.