It’s not too often that we think about breathing.  It’s an involuntary and necessary action that we perform constantly without much thought required.  However, we have moments that occupy a good deal of our mental capacity - typically, high stress situations - and they affect the way we breathe in a serious way.

Try This

Here’s a quick exercise that will tell you more about your breathing habits:
Take three slow, deep breaths. 
Did your shoulders lift?  Did your chest expand to take in the air?
(If you didn’t notice, go ahead and try again)

The “Diagnosis”

If you answered yes to either of those questions, there’s a good chance that you breathe “shallow.”  Breathing shallow simply means that you’re not using your primary breathing muscle, the diaphragm.  Instead, you are “breathing with your chest,” which means that you’re using the pectoral minors (small muscles in your chest) as well as tissue in your shoulder.  So, when you breathe shallowly, you are creating more tension in those muscles and putting them through a cycle of unnecessary tightening.  As a result, the diaphragm feels neglected.

Stress in the shoulders and chest can get uncomfortable, and breathing shallowly usually indicates that our stress is overwhelming, causing us to lose focus on how to breathe properly. Breathing with the diaphragm is often called “breathing with the stomach” because your stomach expands a little bit with each breath.  This is a more relaxed breathing style.  Using the diaphragm to breathe prevents your body from placing unnecessary stress on your chest and shoulders.  So, when you breathe with your diaphragm, you won’t feel as tense as when you breathe with your chest. 

Moral of the breathing lesson? Better breathing means less stress and a more balanced and happier you.

What Can I Do to Breathe Properly?

If you breathe with your chest, there are several ways to learn to relax your breathing.
~ First, make sure that your stomach expands when you breath in. Count out 10 long, slow breaths - making sure air fills your lungs (which looks like your stomach expanding). Practice this multiple times a day throughout the week.
~ Next, sing from your stomach. Have fun doing it! Pick your favorite song and belt it from your belly every day. That will get your diaphragm moving.
~ For more advanced breathing training, try yoga and/or meditation - both place a strong focus on good breathing techniques.
~ If you’ve tried these different methods or are having difficulty with them, your stress levels may be too overwhelming for standard methods.  Sometimes stressors require psychological care provided by licensed specialists. But try these simple methods before doing anything drastic. 

Breathe well, and be happy!

Questions or comments? Leave them below. Also, please feel free to discuss your experiences practicing your breathing. Enjoy this week’s nutrition and mental wellness tips.

Andrew is a Certified Personal Trainer from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He teaches people to listen to their bodies and helps them thrive as they find the connection between health and happiness.

If you are interested in a free fitness consultation, please .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), and he will be delighted to teach you how to start enjoying fitness and making it a part of your life.