Breath Work

Lots of people ask me “what can I do to help myself?”  Great to see people accepting responsibility for own health.  Rather than exercises I encourage people to work with their breath.

Stress

A major component of the stress-response system is the autonomic nervous system, which orchestrates the automatic, or involuntary, functions of the body.  Messages continuously flowing back and forth around the body inform the brain of the moment-to-moment state of every part of the body.  For obvious survival reasons (obstruction – choking) respiratory messages have top priority when it comes to getting the brains attention.  Of all the autonomic functions of the body, only one can be easily controlled voluntarily – breathing.  By voluntarily changing the rate, depth, and pattern of breathing, we can change the messages from the body’s respiratory system to the brain.  In this way, breathing techniques provide a portal to the autonomic communication network through which we can, by changing our breathing patterns, send specific messages to the brain using the language of the body, a language the brain understands and to which it responds. Messages from the respiratory system have rapid, powerful effects in major brain centres involved in thought, emotion, and behaviour.

Small amounts of stress are good for us:  through adapting successfully to stressful situations, we become stronger and more competent.

However when an individual experiences more stress than their system can handle, particularly repeated or prolonged stress, there will be adverse effects on their emotional and physical health.  Initially the stress response system is doing its best to cope, possibly by releasing more cortisol, more adrenalin, more excitatory neurotransmitters, all of which burns more energy, releases more free radicals, and increases inflammation

Focussing attention on one part of the body activates the connections between that part of the body and the places where it is represented in the brain, in the somatosensory cortex of the parietal lobe.  

Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) Stimulation – Resistance Breathing

Resistance breathing

  • Are you a mouth breather or a nose breather?

  • Simply breathing through the nose creates a little more resistance to airflow than breathing through the mouth. More resistance results in greater activation of the PNS

  • What happens when a cat purs?

§  The purring sound is created by the breath moving pas a partial obstruction of the upper airway, creating a vibrational sound.  This has several effects that stimulate the soothing part of the cat’s nervous system.

§  Not only a sound that expresses a state of relaxation but also actually induces relaxation!

  • The PNS is heavily involved in the release of Oxytocin – an essential hormone for bonding in humans and in many other species

  • PTSD – Require Oxytocin to form trust and bonding relationships – PNS important!

  • In general people use only about 20 percent of the surface areas of their lungs! 

Coherent Breathing

  • Coherent breathing shifts the stress response system into a healthier balance by activating the healing, recharging part of the nervous system (Peripheral Nervous System, or PNS), while quietening the defensive, energy burning parts (Sympathetic Nervous System, or SNS).

  • Coherent Breathing  = Increases Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

  • Breathing rate of five breaths per minute, or people >6ft tall = 3 ½ breaths per minute

  • Breathing in AND out of the nose

§  Become aware of your breath flowing in and out of your nose

§  Belly breathing (diaphragmatic breathing)

§  When other thoughts enter mind just let them float through and refocus your attention on the breathing sensations

  • Start with 5-10mins of Coherent breathing once-twice a day; gradually increase up to twenty minutes at a time

  • Most people notice benefits immediately.  In the beginning the benefits (good feelings) will last only a short time after you finish and return to your day however, with practice over time, the benefits will last longer and longer.

 

Somato Respiratory Integration (SRI)

SRI works to focus awareness into areas of ease and peace in your body. Using this ease and flow helps your body identify, connect to and release areas of tension. SRI is a great aid in times of stress, pain and upset in life.

 Specifically SRI brings together your body (soma) and breath (respiration) for greater wholeness. Often in life, our body is forced to ignore areas of stress in an attempt to battle on and adapt to demanding environments or events. Consequently our breathing becomes shallower, our muscle system tightens and our nerve system becomes less adaptable.  

Often our body is forced to ignore areas of tension in an attempt to “battle on” or adapt to a stressful environment.  Consequently we start to breathe shallow and shallower.  A deep breath forces us to recognise areas we are uncomfortable with in our bodies.

Technique:

  • Find a quiet place, lay on your back.  If you have music that you find relaxing, this can help if played quietly.

  • Breath slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth

  • Place palm overlapping palm

  • Breath Centres:

1.     Upper chest / slightly lower than your collar bone

2.     Bottom of your breast bone / gastric region

3.     Just below your belly button

  • When breathing in spend the time connecting to the region (breath centre)

  • When breathing out envisage the ‘wall’ of tension dropping in the area if any

  • You will find one area is much more at ease than the other two. Concentrate on this area of ease. Focus your breath, movement and expansion into just that area. Try to keep the flow from moving into other parts of your body. Quickly bring your hands into an area of less ease and breath/move to encourage that area to open up. No need to spend too long, or get frustrated here. Go back to the area of ease again

  • 5 to 15 minutes daily per session is ideal