Max's Nutri Care

Just Breath !!

This article highlights a few effective breathing techniques that promote relaxation/stress reduction aincrease respiratory efficiency. You do not need formal yoga practice experience or any extensive training to learn these simple and effective techniques. Simply read through each section, and experiment with your own body and breath.

The basics of breathing

Just breathe! is a common phrase used in the media and by many health providers. However, it’s not enough to simply “breathe,” it must be done effectively. If you’re holding your breath or hyperventilating, you are technically breathing, but just not as effectively as possible. In fact, it has been shown that this type of shallow rapid breathing can actually make you feel more stress during trying times.

We know through research that psychological stress plays a role with asthma. It can make asthma more difficult to control and increase the likelihood of asthma flares. And it can also increase the duration and severity of symptoms. Breath control and meditation practices have been shown to play an important role in stress reduction and asthma control.

In order to practice effective breathing, it’s important to understand the role of the diaphragm in optimal respiration. Our diaphragm is a major muscle of the respiratory system involved in the expansion of the rib cage and rising of the chest under voluntary control. When we inhale, the diaphragm contracts and moves down; when we exhale the diaphragm relaxes and it moves up. The greater the degree of movement of the diaphragm between inspiration and respiration, the greater the tidal volume – amount of air that moves in or out of the lungs with each respiratory cycle. Controlled diaphragmatic breathing (taking in slow, deep breaths) increases tidal volume and has been shown to improve ventilation efficiency of the lungs, pulmonary gas exchange and arterial oxygenation. Furthermore, the lung base has the greatest blood flow/perfusion and is often not utilized in thoracic (shallow/rapid) breathing; diaphragmatic breathing allows one to activate the bases of the lungs.

Breathing and the autonomic nervous system

The autonomic nervous system has two arms that exert opposing control over the heart – sympathetic (fight-or-flight/cardiac acceleration) and parasympathetic (relaxation/cardiac slowing). Parasympathetic activity is the dominant arm of the autonomic nervous system, providing a homeostatic level of control over the heart rate under resting conditions. Prolonged periods of stress can set an imbalance to the autonomic system with a shift toward more sympathetic activity.

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is an interesting and noninvasive way to identify imbalances in the autonomic system. It is measured as specific changes in time (or variability) between successive heart beats. When one is more frequently activating the parasympathetic nervous system such as when under stress, the variation between subsequent heartbeats is low. If one is in a more relaxed state, the variation between beats is high. In other words, the healthier one is, the faster you are able to switch gears, showing more resilience and flexibility. Over the past few decades, research has shown a relationship between low HRV and worsening depression or anxiety.

Breathing techniques like 4-7-8 (5) breathing and box breathing can help you tap into your inner calm, benefiting everything from your stressed-out nervous system to how well you sleep at night.

4-7-8 (5) Breathing?

The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a style of intentional breath work that can calm your mind and body. Though popularized in 2015 by integrative medicine specialist Andrew Weil, MD, it has ancient roots in the yogic practice of pranayama, or focusing on the breath. One of the best breathing methods to increase the pH of your blood (remember low pH =acidic and high pH = alkaline) is when we exhale for significantly longer than we inhale.

Here’s how to do it:

  • Inhale through your nose for four counts.

  • Hold your breath for seven counts.

  • Exhale through your mouth for eight counts.

  • Breath normal for 5 second, I added this count as you can get light headed when you start doing this exercise.

  • Relax your face, neck and shoulders while you are doing this exercise.

The benefits of 4-7-8 breathing

                                                                                                                   Calm your mind

The repetitive nature of 4-7-8 breathing provides a calming distraction to your racing mind. The counting sequence is a way to focus your mind on something other than your worries.

                                                                                                             Reduce stress and anxiety

Your sympathetic nervous system is responsible for your body’s “fight-or-flight” response. When you’re stressed, this system goes into overdrive, which makes you feel amped-up — like a fast-beating heart, shallow breathing and other telltale signs of stress, like sweaty hands and an upset stomach.

Your parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for relaxing your sympathetic nervous system and helping you calm down. Breathing techniques like 4-7-8 breathing can play a huge role in activating your parasympathetic nervous system and helping you to shift back toward tranquility.

                                                                                                                    Help you sleep

By counting your breath you are calming your mind and reducing your anxiety and that can go a long way towards a good night’s sleep. It’s also been shown to decrease heart rate and blood pressure, which put your body in the right state for sleep.

                                                                                                 Train your body to better respond to stress

With practice and repetition, you can teach your nervous system to do some pretty cool things. It takes some time for the nervous system to respond to this type of breath work, but the more we do it, the more we allow our bodies to go into that parasympathetic mode.

                                                                                                                  Changing PH in Body

Our blood is supposed to remain in a very limited range of a pH of 7.3-7.4 for us to have proper amounts of energy production and life-giving nutrient delivery to all our body’s tissues. The pH balance in our blood affects almost every bodily function. When we practice breath work, we take up more oxygen than we should do with regular shallow breathing. This increase of O2 helps to expel more CO2 from the body. Lower Hydrogen ion concentrations means less acidity and shifts the blood PH to a more alkaline state. By controlling our breath, we can very positively influence the pH of our blood.

You may feel slightly light headed when you are initially doing this exercise.

                                                                                                               Bicarbonate production

Bicarbonate acts as a buffer to neutralize acidity in the blood. This is a normal function in the body. With Breath work the bicarbonate production increases and promotes a more alkaline environment. This buffer aids in keeping the pH levels in balance.

The 4-7-8 Breathing

If you regularly practice 4-7-8 breathing (especially during times when you’re not particularly stressed), your body will actually learn to incorporate it into your go-to stress response.

How to do 4-7-8 breathi

With any breathing technique, it’s ideal to start with an exhale. You can do this practice in any position, sitting up with your back straight or If you’re using 4-7-8 breathing to help you fall asleep, you can do it while lying in bed.

Here’s how to do it:

  • Position your tongue. Throughout this breathing technique, your tongue should stay toward the roof of the mouth, with the tip of your tongue touching the back of your two front teeth.

  • Breathe out deeply. Let your breath out through your lips, making a whooshing sound.

  • Inhale and count to four. Breathe in through your nose while mentally counting up to four. Don’t go too slowly or too quickly; pick a pace that works for you.

  • Hold and count to seven. Without straining or stressing, gently hold your breath while counting to seven in your mind.

  • Exhale and count to eight. Breathe out slowly for eight counts, with your lips slightly pursed around your tongue.

  •  

Box Breathing

Box breathing is a form of yogic deep breathing employed by the United States Navy SEALs and by stressed-out people everywhere. It’s also known as sama vritti pranayama, born of the yogic practice of pranayama, or focusing on the breath.

Its common name, “box breathing,” refers to the fact that a box has four sides, a concept represented here by breathing while you slowly count to four for a total of four times — four counts of breathing in, four counts of holding your breath, four counts of exhaling and four more counts of holding after your exhale.

This technique goes by other names, too:

4×4 breathing, 4-4-4-4 breathing, Equal breathing, Four-square breathing, Square breathing.

The benefits of box breathing

A) Lowers stress

The biggest benefit of box breathing is relaxation, especially in times of stress. Studies show that regulating your breath can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and maybe even help lower blood pressure.

B) Activates the parasympathetic nervous system

In times of stress, your sympathetic nervous system is on high alert. Box breathing can help you move out of that state by tapping into the bodily system responsible for rest and digestion — the parasympathetic nervous system.

C) Calms the mind

You don’t have to be stressed to benefit from this breath exercise.

Practicing box breathing is an opportunity to bring mindfulness to your breath, which is a valuable practice even in tranquil times.

It allows you to slow your breath, and it also has an aspect of meditation. As you’re breathing, you’re also silently counting, which is a kind of mantra meditation that calms the nervous system and brings you into the present moment.

 How to do box breathing

  • You don’t want to go too slowly or too quickly, stay at your comfort level, making sure you’re breathing very gently and not straining.

  • Relax your face, neck and shoulders while you are doing this exercise.

  • Breathe out slowly, releasing all the air from your lungs.

  • Breathe in through your nose as you slowly count to four in your head. Be conscious of how the air fills your lungs and stomach.

  • Hold your breath for a count of four.

  • Exhale for another count of four.

  • Hold your breath again for a count of four.

  • Repeat for three to four rounds.

And working on your box breathing in times of calm can help you harness it in times of anxiety, even going so far as to lessen your body’s overall response to stress.


Prone Position Breathing

Prone (lying face down) positioning for breathing (also called Crocodile pose in yoga) can increase oxygen delivery to the lungs. This positioning is being used in hospitals on COVID-19 patients to improve their blood oxygen levels. Studies on hospitalized COVID-19 patients showed that more lung alveoli were “recruited” (or opened up) during prone positioning, which improved oxygen exchange and resulted in better outcomes. This positioning allowed the posterior segments and lower lobes of the lungs to drain excess fluid and become filled with air in those with COVID-19 pneumonia. Even if you are not sick and don’t need extra oxygen, Crocodile pose can be a very relaxing pose and a way to begin sensing the natural patterns of breath, especially abdominal breathing. It is a pose frequently used in restorative yoga that helps promote a sense of calm and stillness.

 

Undulating Wave Breathing

Lay face down on a mat with forehead on the ground. Belly breathe by allowing your belly and chest to fill with air, and then exhale letting your lungs deflate. Feel the spine undulate as you breathe– the whole body moves like a wave from the head to the toes. This is a good way to become aware of the breath and its dynamic motion involving the spine. It is a calming practice that promotes better oxygen delivery throughout the body. The more you concentrate on the breathing technique, the better results you will achieve.