Breathing Properly

Breathing is so natural that most of us take it for granted until we cannot breathe. I've been involved in sports enough to have seen a lot of folks, including myself, get the wind knocked out of their lungs and the panic that envelopes them within seconds as the realization occurs that air is not coming into the lungs. That is not a feeling any of us wants to experience often, for sure.

The truth is, we can live days without water and food, but only minutes without air. So, if air is that important to us perhaps understanding more about it and how our body uses it might be helpful in our quest to be healthy. The amount of air we breathe and the quality of that air is incredibly important in this quest for balance and health.

Breathing is the process by which air passes into and out of the lungs to allow the blood passing through the lungs to take up oxygen and dispose of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is part of the waste product produced by the cells during metabolism and must be disposed of efficiently. Breathing is controlled by the brain stem and no conscious effort must be made to breathe. However, the depth and rate of breathing can be altered voluntarily.

The average adult male can hold 1 ½ gallons of air in his lungs while the average female can hold about 1 gallon in her lungs. Most of us breathe in 13 to 17 times per minute while resting, although it can increase to 80 breathes per minute during vigorous exercise. During normal breathing only about 10 % of the air in the lungs is replaced with new air.

When air is inhaled, the diaphragm (the muscle that connects to the ribcage, separating the lungs from the intestinal area) contracts and flattens out. This causes the lungs to expand and pull in air. To exhale the diaphragm muscle relaxes and takes on a dome shape that lets the ribcage and lungs to contract, squeezing air out.

Because many people do not breathe properly it is a good idea to check your breathing technique by paying attention to how you breathe. Put your left hand on your sternum just above your breasts and the right hand over your navel. Take some deep breathes and see how you are doing. The right hand on the navel should move first and the most. Don't be alarmed if that is not the case, simply understand that you have been breathing poorly for some time and need to retrain yourself and your muscles to breathe deeper.

Breathing Technique
A wonderful Yoga breathing technique will help you focus on your breathing and teach you to relax at the same time. Although this technique may be done in almost any position, I'd encourage you to start doing it in an upright position with your back straight. Key: Place the tip of your tongue against the tissue at the base of your upper front teeth and keep your tongue there during the entire exercise. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whooshing sound. Next, close your mouth and inhale gently through your nose to a count of 4. Next hold your breath for 7 counts or beats, then exhale through your mouth as you whoosh out the air for a count of 8. This is considered one breath. Repeat this for at least 6 breaths and do the exercise at least twice daily.

Please keep in mind that the amount of time you spend on each part of the exercise is not important, however, the ratio is very important and should be counted as exhale, inhale 4 counts, hold 7 counts, exhale 8 counts each time. You may speed up or slow down the counts or beats as you gain better control of your ability to breath this way. It may be helpful to put your hands over the sternum and navel as described above to help you better understand the muscles needed for breathing and how to use them more effectively.

Dave Carpenter, N.D., L. Ac.