yoga
A number of research
studies suggest that yogic
pranayama (breathing) and asanas
(postures) can benefit a number of
conditions, including: depression,
anxiety, hypertension, IBS, asthma,
addiction, post-traumatic stress
disorder and violent
behaviour.5
frankincense
Frankincense is reputed to
slow down and deepen the
breathing process, helping to
produce feelings of calm. For this
reason, incense sticks containing
frankincense have often been
incorporated into prayer
and meditation.4
ortunately, we very rarely have to
make a conscious effort to breathe.
This is because, like so many other
complex actions that are vital for our
survival, the body kindly takes care of
respiration on our behalf. Not so fortunately,
however, many of us are developing poor
breathing patterns which can potentially lead
to a number of health problems.
F
It’s good to be nosy
From the moment we are born, we are
designed to ‘nose-belly’ breathe when
resting or gently exercising. By breathing
through the nose:
• air enters the body in a controlled
manner, which helps to ensure efficient
air exchange occurs in the lungs
• the inhaled air is moistened, warmed
and filtered, reducing lung irritation and
ensuring that ‘clean’ air is delivered to
the body
• nitric acid gas is produced (recent
research indicates that nitric acid may
help to: sterilise incoming air; prevent
mucus from pooling and becoming
infected; encourage blood flow and
oxygen uptake; and keep the airways
open through arterial and bronchial
vasodilation).1
As the lungs have no muscles of their own,
the diaphragm assists the breathing process
by contracting and relaxing. When the
diaphragm contracts it moves in a
downward direction (which makes the belly
rise). This action enlarges the chest cavity
and reduces pressure in the chest. To
equalise this pressure, air then rushes into
the lungs. This process is what we
commonly refer to as ‘inhalation’.
‘Exhalation’ occurs when the diaphragm
relaxes, moving in an upward direction
(making the belly flatten). With the help of
4
the intercostal muscles, the chest cavity
then contracts and this pressure pushes air
out of the lungs.2 When nose-belly
breathing, the diaphragm is responsible for
70-80% of the work (the remaining 2030% is carried out by muscles in the neck,
shoulder and chest area).1
A good breathing pattern (i.e. nose-belly
breathing) is very important for our health,
for two reasons. Firstly, it helps to maintain
a healthy ratio of oxygen to carbon dioxide
in the body. Although many of us have
grown up assuming that carbon dioxide is a
‘waste product’, a certain amount of this
gas is just as important to the metabolic
process as a good supply of oxygen. If
carbon dioxide levels fall too low in the
body, vasoconstriction will occur,
preventing oxygen from reaching the areas
it is needed the most, including the brain.1,3
An oxygen-carbon dioxide imbalance will
also disrupt the body’s natural pH level
which is integral to our internal
homeostasis.1
Secondly, the diaphragm helps a number of
other body functions and structures, by
either maintaining their strength and
efficiency, or by gently massaging them as it
contracts and relaxes.1 Examples include:
parts of the digestive system; the lymphatic
and circulatory system; the spine and
nervous system; and vocalisation.
When breathing goes wrong
Poor breathing patterns tend to develop
when people mouth-breathe, chestbreathe or overbreathe (hyperventilate) or any combination of the above.
Mouth-breathing often affects people who
experience difficulty inhaling air through the
nose. For instance, if a person has allergic
rhinitis, sinusitis or nasal polyps, he or she
may have little choice other than to breathe
through the mouth. People may also switch
better
breathing
to mouth-breathing if they are suffering
from stress or anxiety. One of the main
problems with mouth-breathing is that it
allows large volumes of cool, dry, unfiltered
air into the lungs, causing irritation (which
some respiratory physiotherapists believe
can lead to an asthma attack in susceptible
individuals).1
It is not uncommon for mouth-breathing to
go hand-in-hand with chest-breathing,
which then presents another set of
problems. Chest-breathing largely calls upon
muscles in the chest, neck and shoulder
area, all of which are supposed to be used
in just short bursts (unlike the diaphragm,
which is designed for endurance and uses
up far less energy). A vicious circle can
occur if chest-breathing becomes a regular
habit, as the diaphragm grows weaker
through lack of use and the muscles of the
upper chest area are then called upon more
frequently. This poor breathing pattern can
result in the neck and shoulder muscles
constantly pulling on supporting structures
such as the spine, clavicle and the base of
the skull, which in turn may result in
musculoskeletal imbalances and problems from headaches and joint pain, to jaw
problems and sleeping difficulties.1
In many cases, mouth-breathing can also be
linked to overbreathing, or ‘hyperventilation’.
This is because, compared to nosebreathing, mouth-breathing allows much
larger amounts of oxygen and carbon
dioxide to enter and exit the lungs. This is
obviously an advantage when undertaking
strenuous exercise, etc, but it is not ideal
when the body is at rest. The problem with
overbreathing is that too much carbon
dioxide is puffed out of the body with each
exhalation - a much larger percentage than
would be exhaled when nose-breathing. As
discussed earlier, if carbon dioxide levels fall
too low, oxygen already in the body will not
reach the areas where it is needed the most.
Hyperventilation is quite typical in people
suffering from stress and anxiety and in those
with asthma.
So how can poor breathing patterns be
successfully tackled?
Restoring the balance
There are numerous ways to encourage
the body to revert back to a healthy
breathing pattern. Yoga, meditation,
Breathing Works (see Reference 1) and the
Buteyko Method (see Reference 3) are just
some of the techniques available that can
redress poor breathing habits, including
those experienced by asthma sufferers.
Information about these techniques can be
readily found on the internet or in books
(see the ‘References and further reading’
section at the end of this article).
However, please note: anyone who has a
respiratory problem should seek the
advice of a doctor or other appropriately
trained health professional (such as a
physiotherapist) before attempting any
breathing exercises or similar. It is also
more desirable to seek the advice or tuition
of someone appropriately trained in (e.g.)
yoga or the Buteyko Method than to simply
follow exercises described in print.
If there is something physically preventing
efficient nose-belly breathing - such as
allergic rhinitis - then this would obviously
need to be addressed in the first instance.
Similarly, if a poor breathing pattern is the
result of stress or bad posture, then the
cause would need to be identified and
resolved for any breathing techniques or
exercises to work effectively.
References and further reading
1 Bradley D, Clifton-Smith T (2002). Breathing works for asthma. First published in GB
by Kyle Cathie Ltd, 2003. ISBN: 1-85626-494-7.
2 Merk Research Labs (1997). The Merk Manual of Medical Information.
3 Stalmatski A (1997). Freedom from Asthma. Published by Three Rivers Press, NY.
ISBN: 0-609-80369-7.
4 Davis, Patricia. Aromatherapy - an A-Z (2000). Published by C W Daniel Company
Ltd. ISBN: 0-85207-295-3
5 Brown RP and Gerbarg PL (2005). Sudarshan
Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress,
Anxiety, and Depression: Part 2 - Clinical
Applications and Guidelines. The Journal of
Alternative and Complementary
Medicine. Vol 11 (4);
pp 711-717.
5