Exploring the art of
Breathing M
ost people do not think about how, or how often, they are breathing. However, for many people, breathing – a fundamental of life – isn’t as easy as it seems for a wide range of reasons. There are many examples of why a person’s breathing may be affected. These can include anything from breathing pattern disorders, such as ‘mouth breathing’ and anxiety or stress, to chronic nasal obstruction and respiratory disease. So what happens to the body when we breathe? Well, we each have two air passageways to your lungs – the nose and the mouth. Breathing through your mouth is only necessary when there is nasal congestion (for example due to allergies or a cold), or when exercising, as breathing through the mouth gets oxygen to your muscles faster. The correct way to breathe is in and out through your nose. This enables the nasal passages to warm and moisten the air you inhale, and allows the oxygen to reach deep into your diaphragm. The little hairs in your nose, also known as cilia, are one of the biggest air filters in your body, and breathing through your nose also helps your body defend itself from bacteria and allergens such as pollen. Air exhaled through the nose creates a back flow of air (and oxygen) into the lungs. Because we exhale more slowly through the nose than we do though the mouth, the lungs have more time to extract oxygen from the air we’ve already taken in. The optimum breathing rate is 5.5 breaths per minute. This involves 5.5-second inhales, and 5.5-second exhales deep into your diaphragm. If you breathe too quickly, or only in your chest, your airways cannot absorb oxygen, or participate in gas exchange. Breathing shallowly will mean that only approximately 50% of the breath that is taken in is being used, compared to approximately 85% if breathing properly. The sacred power of breathing is one that is repeated in many cultures across the world. For example, yoga and meditation both
heavily use shamanic breathwork within their practice. The Sanskrit word, ‘pranayama’, is translated to the “expansion or manifestation of energy,” with many people believing that once you have control over pranayama, you can transform yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Another technique is anapanasati, which is the meditation system taught by the Buddha, in which mindful breathing is used to develop both samadhi (a serene and concentrated mind) and vipassana (see the true nature of existence). Concentrated breathwork can relieve stress, anxiety, and over-thinking. It is also a way to improve posture, heart rate variability, remove negative energy or blockages, ease an overstimulated nervous system, and reduce blood pressure by adding more oxygen to the body. With more oxygen going to the brain, the mind opens up new networks. This raises your level of consciousness. The path to a higher self starts with the physical breath, then control of breath, and finally understanding of breath. Breathing slower, and with more control has also been shown to reduce the ‘sympathetic’ nature of the nervous system and supports a more calmer and ‘parasympathetic’ state of being. Depending on the reason for a person’s breathing troubles, there are various avenues for support, education and training to improve breathing. Respiratory physiotherapists, for example, can teach people how to breathe with your diaphragm and provide at-home exercises to help develop healthier breathing habits. But even for those without respiratory disease, being conscious of breathing, and practicing controlled breathing techniques, have both been shown to reduce stress, improve sleep, increase alertness and boost our immune system.
