Just Breathe

The atmosphere of our earth has just the right amount of oxygen to support life (about 20.9%) Plant and trees utilize the lower amounts carbon dioxide in the air, part of which is what we exhale. It is a miraculous loop!

In my 30+ years of working in Physical Rehabilitation, one of the most consistent thing I have seen with patients is that they are not very efficient breathers. Thankfully, breathing— or respirations—are managed by our Central Nervous System and the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), specifically, the vagal nerve (Cranial Nerve X), so we do not have to constantly think about taking a breath and exhaling just to survive! The Sympathetic Nervous System branch of the ANS speeds up breathing and dilates the airways during stress or exercise so you can take in more oxygen. Think of this as the “Fight, Flight or Freeze” reaction. The Sympathetic Nervous system also governs things like heart rate and digestion, sweating and goosebumps, actions that are essentially fully out of our control.

On the other hand, the Parasympathetic Nervous system branch of the ANS can be influenced indirectly by behaviors and practices. By focusing on slow and relaxed deep breathing, mindfulness and meditation, there can be a shift more easily into the Parasympathetic state. This is known as the “Rest and Digest” reaction.

The Mechanics of Breathing

Many people breath rather shallowly, into just the upper parts of the lungs. (chest breathing” or using neck and upper shoulder muscles to breath in) But the lungs extend down to almost the bottom of the rib cage. There is a lot more vascularity in the lower lung lobes, meaning it is rich in blood vessels.The main muscle of respiration is the diaphragm, which is a thin, dome-shaped muscle that contracts and moves down to allow for air to enter the lungs. The air we inhale gets processed in the lungs, using the oxygen in the air to be delivered by the blood stream. We exhale what we don’t need as the diaphragm relaxes upward, The diaphragm is also part of the ‘core” system, with the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles which contribute to postural stability and support of internal organs.

By learning to take slower and deeper breaths, we not only get more nourishment to our organs and better ogygenated blood through our body, we can shift from a stressed and anxious state to a more relaxed state that is conducive to rest and recovery.