The Power of the Breath
Breathing is vial to life. We do it every day, thousands of times. In and out. Inhale and exhale.
In my work as a physical therapist assistant, I often find myself educating people on breathing and how to harness this practice. The amount of stress and anxiety we experience as a society today is alarming, prompting the buzzing question “how do we control this stress, so it doesn’t affect our health?” One easy and accessible way is through the breath. Deep breathing or diaphragmatic breathing can simulate the vagus nerve tapping into the parasympathetic NS to lower blood pressure, heart rate and cortisol levels promoting a state of relaxation. This results in better mental health, lower anxiety, pain responses, muscle tension and better sleep just to name a few benefits.
Think of how you respond to a stressful or painful situation: your breath becomes shallow, shoulders and jaw tense, stomach churning, mind spinning, heart rate and blood pressure rise. This full body reaction is known as our flight or fight response. This response is helpful in life threatening or performance situations but being triggered on a regular basis can have negative affects on our health and wellbeing. The good news is we can counteract this response through deep breathing. Deep breathing that starts in the trunk will signal our vague nerve to relax, restore and release the feelings of stress we are having. When done on a regular basis this caneven help us lower pain levels and release unhealthy patterns.
When starting a practice of deep breathing its best to wear comfortable clothes that allow you to expand through your rib cage and belly. When thinking about body position you want to be able to relax your shoulders, chest and trunk standing, sitting our laying down. After finding a comfortable position taking a breath in through your nose, draw air into your lungs focusing your intension lifting your lower chest, expanding your ribs and letting your belly rise. I like to visualize an umbrella opening in the rib cage then gently let the air leave your lunge with gentle encouragement from deep in your belly letting the ribs drop back to their resting positionstacked over the pelvis. It can be helpful to try and make your exhale double the length of your inhale to keep the breath smooth. If you struggle with belly expansion you can always place a hand on your stomach and let it gently rise with inhalation and fall with exhalation.
So next time you are feeling a little stressed, overwhelmed or having a painful moment take a deep breath and give breathing a try. Your mind and body will thank you!
By: Tara Korslin, PTA
Tara wanted to become a physical therapist assistant because she knew it would give her an opportunity to connect with people through movement. She strives to educate patients on how to move and exercise properly as they work towards their goals. Tara believes, “To live well we have to move well.”
Tara enjoys helping educate her patients by making them be active participants in their care while working towards their goals. “I want my patients to know why I am doing what I am doing and how their body works. I want them to leave not only feeling better but with the knowledge to continue moving well.”
Tara started with OST in October of 2022. She is originally from Marquette Michigan, and is now living in Green Bay with her husband, Ryan, and their kitty, Obi. Outside of work, Tara enjoys mountain biking, running, hiking, and working on puzzles.
Click here to learn more about Tara.
https://www.ostpt.com/tara-korslin/