Practice Breathing to Help Your Body Work for You
I know, what a basic and obvious proposition. Of course the body doesn’t “work” unless you’re breathing. And isn’t breathing- something we do automatically without being aware it’s happening- one of those habits we should all develop? And if it’s working (I am still here, right?), why give breathing a moment’s thought, especially given all the things that require attention?
Here’s why: the way we breathe can help regulate the body’s automatic responses, and provide more space for thinking and problem-solving.
Let me briefly explain, with the help of Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor.
A Quick Primer on the Autonomic Nervous System and Its Effects
Our autonomic (meaning “involuntary” or “unconscious”) nervous system controls several body functions, including heart rate, respiratory (breathing) rate, and digestion. As the name suggests, the autonomic nervous system operates “in the background,” largely outside of our control or awareness.
The autonomic nervous system has two parts: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic.
Broadly, the sympathetic nervous system is designed to quickly mobilize some body functions, while the parasympathetic nervous system provides an opposing effect. The common shorthand is that the sympathetic nervous system is “fight, flight, or freeze,” and the parasympathetic nervous system is “feed and breed” or “rest and digest.” (Sex is one exception- where the two work somewhat in concert, but isn’t sex always an exception?)
These sub-systems work in opposition to one other, to facilitate different actions. However, it can be unhealthy when one acts to the exclusion of the other.
The Sympathetic Nervous System: A Great Tool, But Dangerous When Always “On”
The sympathetic nervous system (also called stress response) prepares you for action:
- Blood flow gets redirected from the stomach (ever notice how you forget to eat when you’re excited?) and bladder to the brain and to various muscles.
- Heart rate increases, pupils dilate, palms sweat, mind sharpens.
- Cortisol (called the “stress hormone”) and adrenaline (also called epinephrine) floods into the body to help fight inflammation.
And breathing speeds up and becomes more shallow. Notice that the sympathetic nervous system causes real, measurable physiological effects in the body.
And all of this happens automatically, which is fantastic when you need that energy and focus to fight or run or address an emergency.
Problem is, the sympathetic nervous system is not necessary tuned to discern the difference between a real threat and a false alarm. In a world with so many stimuli, our bodies (including our brains) are constantly primed to flee and fight.
But the body is not designed to stay in the stress response state for long periods of time. The state of “chronic stress” or “distress” — one characteristic of which is the buildup of cortisol in the blood — leads to a host of health problems, including:
- interference with learning and memory;
- lower immune function and bone density;
- increased weight gain;
- high blood pressure;
- elevated cholesterol;
- increased risk for heart disease, stroke, depression and mental illness; and
- lower life expectancy.
A constant state of stress response can eliminate the space necessary for problem-solving, curiosity, and creativity. The need to make that state of distress, panic, worry, or anxiety go away often overwhelms possibility.
The Parasympathetic Nervous System: Rest and Recover
The parasympathetic nervous system encourages the body to “feed and breed” and then “rest and digest.” Nourishment, rest, and recovery are important to counterbalance strain and energy expenditure.
Activating the parasympathetic nervous system is important get the body out of stress response, avoid chronic stress and its negative effects, and build and maintain the energy to think clearly and solve problems.
Breathing can help.
Intentional Breathing Pays Dividends
Lots of us have no idea how we breathe, and may be stuck in breathing patterns that are unhealthy. Per the above, we may be breathing quickly and shallowly even if there is no present danger.
One fascinating point that Nestor shared describes a phenomenon called “email apnea” or “continuous partial attention”:
Up to 80% of office workers (according to one estimate) suffer from something called continuous partial attention. We’ll scan our email, write something down, check Twitter, and do it all over again, never really focusing on any particular task. In this state of perpetual distraction, breathing becomes shallow and erratic. Sometimes we don’t breathe at all for a half minute or longer.
Becoming aware of instances where breath stops, or when breathing has become fast and shallow, is an opportunity to breathe differently (or just to breathe). Quick and shallow, breathing, as described in this Better Humans Podcast with Matt East and Dave Mochel : “Struggling to Get a Mindfulness Practice Going? Mindful Breathwork Might be a Way to Start” , can actually exacerbate anxiety.
And back to the problem of being “stuck” by the sympathetic nervous system, slower breathing emphasizing the “out-breath” activates the parasympathetic nervous system and lowers heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol in your system. For more on learning to direct your breathing, I highly recommend Mochel’s article on Mindful Breathwork.
Isn’t that a state where we’d like to spend at least some of our time, to cooperate, collaborate, engage our curiosity, and develop the courage to take risks?
Conclusion: Practice
Breathe slowly, a little less, and through your nose with a more pronounced exhale. And practice. The upside of something you do all the time, no matter where you are, is that you can always work on it.
One place to start? Google “Breathing Exercise”. I am not kidding.
