Somewhere in my childhood I had gotten into the habit of
holding my breath when confronted with challenges. I think that pattern started
subconsciously and somehow helped me with physical challenges, or possibly
holding the breath is energizing for the “fight or flight" response. Then one
day I noticed I was holding my breath when I was in deep concentration, or
emotionally upset. That moment I said why am I holding my breath—that can’t be
good for me?
I remembered the emphasis my yoga teachers put on
breathing, which I had always found distracting. I wanted to master the pose,
the yoga asana. I wanted to look like I knew what I was doing and breathing
with the movement was distracting. (Of course I was naively missing one of
the central points of yoga—the integration of breathing with movement.) I did however like one Cleansing Breath technique----You
1. Breathe in deeply raising your arms over your head, 2. Keep arms raised
over-head and bend forward quickly at the waist 3. Force the air out of your
lungs through your mouth creating the sound HHAAAA, 4. This raises the
diaphragm up into the rib cage forcefully expelling stagnant air out of the
lungs. I love doing this cleansing breath it is so energizing.
What is great about this Cleansing Breath technique is it could possibly save your life. The
powerful exhalation of air is quite like the Heimlich maneuver. I had the
chance to try it out. While taking a vitamin supplement pill, somehow I choked
and breathed the pill into my bronchial tube. After the cough settled I could
feel myself wheezing and feel the pill rattle with my breathing. My first
reaction is what do I do? I could not imagine how anyone could get it out. I
remembered my Cleansing Breath technique.
It took several trials then I coughed up the pill. I
imagine if I had gone to an emergency physician, there is a technique for
suctioning things out of lungs—but I’m not sure. I am quite sure that the breath
technique was actually easier and less invasive.
Previously, I discussed the relationship between feelings
of panic and anxiety and a state of acidosis in the body. While the previous article focused
on food choices and meal planning to short circuit feelings of panic or
anxiety, this article focuses on breathing, oxygenation, to short circuit
stress, and feelings of panic and anxiety.
Acidosis is displayed through three different processes 1.
Metabolic acidosis, 2. Respiratory acidosis, and 3. Lactic acidosis. Metabolic acidosis
is related to the processing of food into energy, respiratory acidosis is
related to utilizing oxygen in the body, and lactic acidosis is the result of
muscle functioning. Let’s look at respiratory acidosis and the role of oxygen
in the body.
The process of breathing is called respiration, which is the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide
between the atmosphere and the body cells. Proper breathing helps you stay
alkaline. Blood tends to be alkaline because the vital combustions taking place
in the body are mostly acid in character. This alkalinity of the blood allows
chemical processes to move acid from the tissues to the discharge points such
as the lungs, kidneys and bowels. It is the concentration of oxygen, O2, and carbon,
CO2
gasses that affect the PH of blood, and thereby breathing-rate.
The lungs oxygenate the blood and to remove waste carbon
dioxide. Oxygen passes into the blood through the alveolar and capillary walls
and removes carbon dioxide out of the blood. When you breathe out of balance
you may produce a physical state called respiratory alkalosis, which leads to hypocapnea and symptoms
of asthma and shortness of breath. Alkalosis a
physical state due to accumulation of base in, or loss of acid from, the body. Hypocapnia (or hypocarbia) is defined as low CO2. Its causes,
symptoms and treatment relate to hyperventilation.
Hyperventilation is
over-breathing, which causes dizziness,
lightheadedness, a sense of unsteadiness, and tingling around the mouth and
fingertips. Hyperventilation is common and normal after aerobic exercise.
Hyperventilation can be caused by metabolic disease, and anxiety.
Hyperventilation caused by anxiety can be relieved by breathing in and out of a
paper bag to increase the level of carbon dioxide in the blood.
Poor breathing habits rob energy and impair mental
alertness. A 20% reduction in oxygen blood levels may be caused by the aging
process and abnormal breathing habits. Aging can cause the rib cage and
surrounding muscles get stiff making inhalation more difficult. Less elasticity
and weak muscles leave stale air in the tissues of the lungs and prevents fresh
oxygen from reaching the blood stream. Rapid, shallow, breathing causes poor
posture and weak or stiff muscles, which leads to poor oxygen supply,
respiratory disease, sluggishness, or heart disease.
Out of balance breathing patterns can create either
respiratory acidosis, or alkalosis creating these symptoms:
•
Feelings of tension
•
Hyperventilation
•
Burnout
•
Headache
•
Chronic fatigue
•
Sleeping problems
•
Concentration problems
•
Anxiety and phobia
•
Panic disorder
•
Depression
•
Heart disease
It is essential no matter what age you are that you
participate in consistent physical activity every day to maintain lung heath
and good breathing patterns.
When we change our breathing patterns this influences the
body’s millions of biochemical reactions producing more relaxing substances
such as endorphins and fewer anxiety-producing ones like adrenaline and higher
blood acidity. Breathing produces over 95% of your energy and drives your
nervous system.
Breathing exercises do not replace a doctor’s care.
However they can be an effective part of treatment, are an effective coping
skill, and are great as part of an anti-aging lifestyle. Just as having a
balanced acid/alkaline diet can improve emotional well-being, knowing and
responding to your oxygen needs through breathing and exercise will give you
some control over feelings of panic, anxiety and stress. Breathing exercises
bring the over-arching benefit of reversing the myriad problems caused by
chronic stress. Purposefully slowing your breathing pattern triggers a state of
relaxation
and raises the body temperature.
Unbalanced breathing tends to cause the body to over react
by tightening in several areas, or you might hold your breath, or breathe
shallowly to try to stay emotionally in control. This only worsens the
situation by creating oxygen deprivation and more tension heightening the
stress response. When high anxiety becomes an every day occurrence we tend to
get used to it then a distorted breathing pattern sets in and never leaves.
"Practicing regular, mindful breathing can be
calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems
ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders.” Andrew Weil, M.D.
Breath exercises work quickly, can be done anywhere, and
take very little practice to master. There are many websites with good
explanations of breathing exercises. It would be best to do a self-review and
take an inventory of your lifestyle habits before starting a breathing exercise
routine.
If you are older and sedentary examine how aging affects
your respiratory system. Have muscles around the rib cage gotten stiff causing
inhalation to become more difficult? You may want to start with chair breathing
exercises challenging yourself to breathe a little deeper each day—trying to
improve the elasticity of your lungs. You may push yourself to walk a little
more quickly each day. You may try walking a little more quickly up hill.
Remember you cannot undo a sedentary life style in a day but it is good to set
reasonable challenges and attainable goals.
Many of us have sedentary careers and when the workday is
done we feel exhausted and stressed out. We need to realize a big part of that
exhaustion is the result of carbon dioxide build-up in the blood from a lack of
fresh oxygen, a lack of deep breathing. Deep breathing exercise or physical
exercise will get the proper blood oxygen-carbon dioxide balance back quicker.
Life style changes that enhance the appropriate oxygen balance in the blood
include: appropriate food choices that do not burden the blood with digestive
acidosis, increased physical activity to eliminate lactic acidosis of the
muscle tissue, and elimination of smoking behavior which contributes to
respiratory acidosis.
Learning stress relief breathing
is a healthy lifestyle choice. Breathing exercises help when you’re stressed
and want to think more clearly, need to release tension in your body, feel
frustrated and want to slow things down, and when in the middle of an
altercation you need to feel more centered.
Here are a couple of easy breath exercises
COMPLETE BREATH EXERCISES
1. Sit up
straight. Exhale. 2. Inhale and,
at the same time, relax the belly muscles. Feel
as though the belly is filling with air.
3. After filling the belly,
keep inhaling. Fill up the middle of your
chest. Feel your chest and rib cage expand.
4. Hold the breath in
for a moment, and then begin to exhale as slowly as possible.
5. As the air is slowly let out,
relax your chest and rib cage. Begin to
pull your belly in to force out the remaining breath.
6. Close your
eyes, and concentrate on your breathing.
7.
Relax your face and mind.
8.
Let everything go.
9.
Practice about 5 minutes.
•
HUMMING BREATH
EXERCISES
Follow the instructions for inhaling the COMPLETE
BREATH (Steps 1-3 above). Now, as you begin
to slowly exhale, make a HUM sound. Keep making that humming sound as long as
possible. Pull your stomach muscles in, squeezing out a few more seconds of
humming. Then relax. Practice for 2 to 3 minutes.
BASIC CONTROLLED BREATHING
Sit or stand in a relaxed position. Slowly inhale
through your nose, counting to five in your head. Let the air out from your
mouth, counting to eight in your head as it leaves your lungs. Repeat several
times. Tip--As you breathe, let your abdomen expand outward, rather than
raising your shoulders. This is a more relaxed and natural way to breathe, and
helps your lungs fill themselves more fully with fresh air, releasing more
“old” air.
http://www.cmhc.utexas.edu/stressrecess/Level_One/fof.html
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART00521/three-breathing-exercises.html
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