Shallow
and rapid breathing is a typical part of the stress response, and
hyperventilation can prolong anxiety and stress. Stress can be managed and
reduced with controlled breathing. You can use abdominal breathing to help
control your nervous system and encourage your body to relax, bringing about a
range of health benefits.
Breathing is an automatic function of the body that is
controlled by the respiratory center of the brain. When we feel stressed, our
breathing rate and pattern changes as part of the ‘fight-or-flight response’.
Fortunately, we also have the power to deliberately change
our own breathing. Scientific studies have shown that controlling your breath
can help to manage stress and stress-related conditions. Breath control is also
used in practices such as yoga, tai chi and some forms of meditation.
Many people use their breathing to help promote relaxation
and reduce stress. The types of conditions that controlled breathing might help
include:
- Anxiety
- Asthma
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Chronic pain
- High blood pressure
- Insomnia
- Panic attacks
- Some skin conditions, such as eczema
- Stress.
The primary role of breathing is to absorb oxygen and to
expel carbon dioxide through the movement of the lungs. Muscles that control
the movement of the lungs are the diaphragm (a sheet of muscle underneath the
lungs) and the muscles between the ribs.
When a person is under stress, their breathing pattern
changes. Typically, an anxious person takes small, shallow breaths, using their
shoulders rather than their diaphragm to move air in and out of their lungs.
This style of breathing disrupts the balance of gases in the body.
Shallow over-breathing, or hyperventilation, can prolong
feelings of anxiety by making the physical symptoms of stress worse. The good
news is that controlling your breathing can help to improve some of these
symptoms including:
- Chest tightness
- Constant fatigue
- Faintness and light-headedness
- Feelings of panic
- Headaches
- Heart palpitations
- Insomnia
- Muscular aches, twitches or stiffness
- Tingling, numb and cold hands and face.
When a person is relaxed, they breathe through their nose in
a slow, even and gentle way. Deliberately copying a relaxed breathing pattern
seems to calm the nervous system that controls the body’s involuntary
functions.
Controlled breathing can cause physiological changes that
include:
- Lowered blood pressure and heart rate
- Reduced levels of stress hormones in the blood
- Reduced lactic acid build-up in muscle tissue
- Balanced levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood
- Improved immune system functioning
- Increased physical energy
- Increased feelings of calm and wellbeing.
There are different breathing techniques to bring about
relaxation. In essence, the general aim is to shift from upper chest breathing
to abdominal breathing. You will need a quiet, relaxed environment where you
won’t be disturbed for 10 to 20 minutes. Set an alarm if you don’t want to lose
track of time.
Sit comfortably and raise your ribcage to expand your chest.
Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. Take notice of how
your upper chest and abdomen are moving while you breath. Concentrate on your
breath and try to gently breathe in and out through the nose. Your upper chest
and stomach should be still, allowing the diaphragm to work more efficiently
with your abdomen rather than your chest.
With each breath, allow any tension in your body to slip
away. Once you are breathing slowly and with your abdomen, sit quietly and
enjoy the sensation of physical relaxation.
Special considerations
Some people find that concentrating on their breath actually
provokes panic and hyperventilation. If this happens to you, look for another
way to relax, perhaps using a technique such as visualization.
Where to get help
- Your doctor
- Stress management specialist, such as psychologist
- Buteyko practitioner
Things to remember
- Shallow, upper chest breathing is part of the typical stress response.
- The stress response can be reduced by consciously breathing using the diaphragm.
- Abdominal breathing helps to control the nervous system and encourages the body to relax, bringing about a range of health benefits.
This Article was originnaly publsihed at : betterhealth.vic.
