THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE BREATH
The
what, where, why and how of breathing.
WHAT: Definition according to dictionary.com
The
air inhaled and exhaled. Respiration,
especially as necessary to life. Life,
or vitality.
The 4
parts are the inhale, retention (hold after inhale), exhale, and suspension
(hold after the exhale).
WHERE and HOW: Where in our body do we breathe,
and how should it be done.
Our
lungs, diaphragm, and rib cage are all, or should all, be used when breathing. A proper inhale and exhale will expand and
contract through the torso.
Inhaling
into our lungs causes the intercostals muscles (between the ribs), to engage and
expand the ribcage. It then proceeds to expand the waistline as the diaphragm,
pushes down into the belly creating even more room for the lungs to fill. When the belly expands the abdominal muscles
should fully relax.
Exhaling
we gently engage the abdominal muscles by first engaging the pelvic floor
muscle causing the other core muscles to engage and slowly controlling the
emptying of the belly. Once the
diaphragm moves back up into the rib cage the lungs will empty with ease. But still try to keep the pace slow.
There
is more to come on the how later on.
WHY: Why would we want to breath correctly?
I don’t
know, perhaps it is the beginning of our life when we take our first breath and
the end of breath is a sure sign that life is ending.
If our
breath is too shallow and we are performing what we know as diaphragmatic
breathing or belly breathing, and not using our lungs to their full capacity then
the functions of our lungs, heart, thoracic duct, and diaphragm are all being compromised
as well. Their function all begins to slow
down or tighten up (just think about when your muscles are not used properly).
The
expansion of the lungs is not just for their own benefit. When they expand out they also press in on
the heart and the thoracic duct and this pressure is meant to help the thoracic
duct pump the 4 liters of Lymph that it is meant to on a daily basis. It is also like a gentle massage for the
heart, helping to slow down the heart rate and assisting in its overall health. Think of it like a hug for your heart. And
hugs make everyone and everything better.
When
the diaphragm engages it pushes down into the belly and gently pushes on the
organs also creating a slight bit of (healthy) tension on the Phenic (fight or
flight) and Vagus (rest and digest) nerves, thus affecting the nervous system
in a calming way.
The
breath, when targeted this way, can help to balance the curvatures of the spine. Inhale: the upper back and neck lengthens and
flattens and Exhale: the lower back lengthens and flattens out. The central nervous system is located in the
spine and the brain.
Therefore
a correct and specific breath has the potential to work the respiratory,
cardiovascular, immune, and nervous systems.
I am sure there is way more to this, however I am only 5 years in to
getting to know the breath intimately. However
I did just read a bit that said that the muscles are dependent on the state of
the nervous system. Something I will be
researching more and more in the coming months so stay tuned in. Basically short contracted muscles are
muscles that are stressed, where as long and lean muscles are more relaxed. This would vary according to each individual
person and what short and long mean to their physiology.
Your
digestive systems health is also based on the amount of stress you are
holding. A very high percentage of good
bacteria and serotonin are produced in your digestive system. Breathe to relax the belly. Stop holding that shit in all the time (pun
intended).
It should
also be known that the inhale is stimulating and energizing, where as the
exhale is relaxing and calming. When you
are stressed lengthen your exhale and when you want a bit more energy than
lengthen both your inhale and exhale. But working with the ratio also requires
more information so you can check out some good stuff in Gary Kraftsows
Viniyoga book “Yoga For Wellness”. It is
best to work with a professional on these things though, so find one that is
knowledgeable, someone who will give you real answers packed full of
information about it rather than just the everyday run of the mill yoga
teacher.
HOW: Now into more detail about how to build the
muscle memory of the proper breathing technique above.
For a
short 8 minute walk through on how to breath you can visit my youtube audio at
It
will walk you through the breathing I have written about above and can be used daily
to instruct you or as a one-time listen to get an idea of what I am trying to
type above. For more of a physical feeling of this breathing use hand placement.
Place the hands on the upper chest (above the nipples and below the collar bone) and take 10 breaths as if you were breathing into the hands
Then move the hands to the bottom 6 ribs and repeat the 10 breaths feeling the whole rib cage expand.
Finally take the hands to the belly and repeat the above breathing from the chest down for another 10 breaths.
Over time this will help to build the muscle memory and you will no longer need the hands.
Disclaimer and advice:
With all of this said I want to say that I am not
doctor, I am not giving you full blown answers, just information from my
perspective on what I have learned, seen, and worked with in my time as a yoga
teacher. Listen to teachers, read a lot,
and most importantly notice how it really feels to do what you learn. Most of your answers will lay in how it makes
you feel and if it makes sense to you.
When seeking out a good yoga teacher, ask
questions, make sure that the answers are specific and thought out rather than vague
and general. This is our body that we are
dealing with and it is important. These physical
practices should be emphasized on the physical.
Keep your local yoga teacher honest and make sure
they can explain themselves and their instruction by asking a lot of
questions. You are responsible for you,
and the more information you have the better you will be.
If you have any questions please email me at bodybreakthroughs@gmail.com and
check out my services for more information on what I do.
