Breathing as a bridge

It is thought by many cultures that the process of breathing is the essence of being.
A rhythmic process of expansion and contraction, breathing is one example of the
consistent polarity we see in nature such as night and day, wake and sleep,
seasonal growth and decay and ultimately life and death. In yoga, the breath is
known as prana or a universal energy that can be used to find a balance between
the body-mind, the conscoius-unconscoius, and the sympathetic-parasympathetic
nervous system. Unlike other bodily functions, the breath is easily used to
communicate between these systems, which gives us an excellent tool to help
facilitate positive change. It is the only bodily function that we do both voluntarily
and involuntarily. We can consciously use breathing to influence the involuntary
(sympathetic nervous system) that regulates blood pressure, heart rate, circulation,
digestion and many other bodily functions. Pranayama is a yoga practice that
literally means the control of life or energy. It uses breathing techniques to change
subtle energies within the body for health and well being. Breathing exercises can
act as a bridge into those functions of the body of which we generally do not have
conscious control.
An example of how life effects physiology
During times of emotional stress our sympathetic nervous system is stimulated and
effects a number of physical responses. Our heart rate rises, we perspire, our
muscles tense and our breathing becomes rapid and shallow. If this process
happens over a long period of time, the sympathic nervous system becomes over
stimulated leading to an imbalance that can effect our physical health resulting in
inflammation, high blood pressure and muscle pain to name a few. Consciously
slowing our heart rate, decreasing perspiration and relaxing muscles is more
difficult than simply slowing and deepening breathing. The breath can be used to
directly influence these stressful changes causing a direct stimulation of the
parasympathetic nervous system resulting in relaxation and a reversal of the
changes seen with the stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system. We can see
how our bodies know to do this naturally when we take a deep breath or sigh when
a stress is relieved.
The breathing process can be trained
Breathing can be trained for both positive and negative influences on health.
Chronic stress can lead to a restriction of the connective and muscular tissue in the
chest resulting in a decrease range of motion of the chest wall. Due to rapid more
shallow breathing, the chest does not expand as much as it would with slower
deeper breaths and much of the air exchange occurs at the top of the lung tissue
towards the head. This results in "chest" breathing. You can see if you are a chest
breather by placing your right hand on your chest and your left hand on your
abdomen. As you breathe, see which hand rises more. If your right hand rises more,
you are a chest breather. If your left hand rises more, you are an abdomen breather.
Chest breathing is inefficient because the greatest amount of blood flow occurs in
the lower lobes of the lungs, areas that have limited air expansion in chest
breathers. Rapid, shallow, chest breathing results in less oxygen transfer to the
blood and subsequent poor delivery of nutrients to the tissues. The good news is
that similar to learning to play an instrument or riding a bike, you can train the
body to improve its breathing technique. With regular practice you will breathe
from the abdomen most of the time, even while asleep.
Note: Using and learning proper breathing techniques is one of the most beneficial things
that can be done for both short and long term physical and emotional health.
The benefits of abdominal breathing
Abdominal breathing is also known as diaphragmatic breathing. The diaphragm is
a large muscle located between the chest and the abdomen. When it contracts it is
forced downward causing the abdomen to expand. This causes a negative pressure
within the chest forcing air into the lungs. The negative pressure also pulls blood
into the chest improving the venous return to the heart. This leads to improved
stamina in both disease and athletic activity. Like blood, the flow of lymph, which
is rich in immune cells, is also improved. By expanding the lung's air pockets and
improving the flow of blood and lymph, abdominal breathing also helps prevent
infection of the lung and other tissues. But most of all it is an excellent tool to
stimulate the relaxation response that results in less tension and an overall sense of
well being.
Abdominal Breathing Technique
Breathing exercises such as this one should be done twice a day or whenever you
find your mind dwelling on upsetting thoughts or when you are experiencing pain.
Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. When you
take a deep breath in, the hand on the abdomen should rise higher than the
one on the chest. This insures that the diaphragm is pulling air into the bases
of the lungs.
After exhaling through the mouth, take a slow deep breath in through your
nose imagining that you are sucking in all the air in the room and hold it for
a count of 7 (or as long as you are able, not exceeding 7)
Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of 8. As all the air is released
with relaxation, gently contract your abdominal muscles to completely
evacuate the remaining air from the lungs. It is important to remember that
we deepen respirations not by inhaling more air but through completely
exhaling it.
Repeat the cycle four more times for a total of 5 deep breaths and try to
breathe at a rate of one breath every 10 seconds (or 6 breaths per minute). At
this rate our heart rate variability increases which has a positive effect on
cardiac health.
Once you feel comfortable with the above technique, you may want to incorporate
words that can enhance the exercise. Examples would be to say to yourself the
word, relaxation (with inhalation) and stress or anger (with exhalation). The idea
being to bring in the feeling/emotion you want with inhalation and release those
you don't want with exhalation.
In general, exhalation should be twice as long as inhalation. The use of the hands
on the chest and abdomen are only needed to help you train your breathing. Once
you feel comfortable with your ability to breathe into the abdomen, they are no
longer needed.
Abdominal breathing is just one of many breathing exercises. But it is the most
important one to learn before exploring other techniques. The more it is practiced,
the more natural it will become improving the body's internal rhythm.
Using breathing exercises to increase energy
If practiced over time, the abdominal breathing exercise can result in improved
energy throughout the day, but sometimes we are in need of a quick "pick-up." The
Bellows breathing exercise (also called, the stimulating breath) can be used during
times of fatigue that may result from driving over distances or when you need to be
revitalized at work. It should not be used in place of abdominal breathing but in
addition as a tool to increase energy when needed. This breathing exercise is
opposite that of abdominal breathing. Short, fast rhythmic breaths are used to
increase energy, which are similar to the "chest" breathing we do when under stress.
The bellows breath recreates the adrenal stimulation that occurs with stress and
results in the release of energizing chemicals such as epinephrine. Like most bodily
functions this serves an active purpose, but overuse results in adverse effects as
discussed above.
The Bellows Breathing Technique (The
Stimulating Breath)
This yogic technique can be used to help stimulate energy when needed. It is a
good thing to use before reaching for a cup of coffee.
Sit in a comfortable up-right position with your spine straight.
With your mouth gently closed, breath in and out of your nose as fast as
possible. To give an idea of how this is done, think of someone using a
bicycle pump (a bellows) to quickly pump up a tire. The upstroke is
inspiration and the downstroke is exhalation and both are equal in length.
The rate of breathing is rapid with as many as 2-3 cycles of
inspiration/expiration per second.
While doing the exercise, you should feel effort at the base of the neck,
chest and abdomen. The muscles in these areas will increase in strength the
more this technique is practiced. This is truly an exercise.
Do this for no longer than 15 seconds when first starting. With practice,
slowly increase the length of the exercise by 5 seconds each time. Do it as
long as you are comfortably able, not exceeding one full minute.
There is a risk for hyperventilation that can result in loss of consciousness if
this exercise is done too much in the beginning. For this reason, it should be
practiced in a safe place such as a bed or chair.
This exercise can be used each morning upon awakening or when needed for an
energy boost.

Further Resources
An excellent book to help explore more advanced breathing techniques is Conscious Breathingby Gay Hendricks. (Bantam, 1995.
ISBN#: 0553374435)
An excellent audio called, Breathing: The Master Key to Self Healing by Andrew Weil discusses the health benefits of breathing
and directs the listener through 8 breathing exercises. (Sounds True, 1999. ISBN#: 156455726X)
We encouraged enrollment in a yoga class through a local community or fitness center. Most well trained instructors will educate
how the breath is used to enhance well-being with yoga practice.
Adapted from Integrative Medicine, D. Rakel, WB. Saunders, Philadelphia, PA. 2003