Proper Breathing for More Energy!

    Breathing is the only function in our body that can be controlled both autonomically (you don't have to think to breathe) and voluntarily.  Breathing gives us Oxygen, which is vital for organic tissue to function.  Not giving your body the oxygen it needs causes your body to malfunction.  Your body does have the ability to adapt to the oxygen saturation levels of the climate you are in, which is a good thing, but it takes time.  Going from living in Hawaii at sea level to living in Denver, Colorado would be a hard change for a person.  The body has to produce more red blood cells to accommodate for the decrease in O2 in the environment so your body can keep up with the O2 demand.  Understanding how your body deals with oxygen levels can make or break you as an athlete.  That's why some sports teams, Olympians, etc. travel ahead of time to their game location, so their bodies can acclimate to the different environment.

    So what is proper breathing?  First a quick lesson on how the breathing process works (the 10 peso version for you "Three Amigos" fans).  Your body has built in reflexes, the apneustic and pneumotaxic reflexes, which make you breathe in and out all day long, for as long as you are alive.  You also have the phrenic nerve, which controls your diaphragm and allows you to take control of your breathing at will. When you breathe in, the diaphragm, itercostals, and neck muscles contract to allow for maximum air to fill the lungs.  The optimal way to breathe is by having the diaphragm do most of the work, followed by the intercostal muscles (the muscles in your ribs), and as a last resort, your neck muscles. 

     If your mid back is out of alignment, the ribs attached to the back are not able to properly pivot and allow for expansion of the lungs, so the neck muscles have to lift your rib cage up to allow for lung expansion.  Over the course of a day, just like any skeletal muscle, your neck muscles fatigue, and stop lifting your rib cage, causing less expansion, therefore less oxygen, and ultimately less energy.  There are many people who are misdiagnosed with Asthma when all they really need in a good back adjustment.  I personally have a few patients that stopped using their inhaler when we adjusted their mid back regularly.  Another means of restriction comes from the neck.  Cervical Nerves 3,4, and 5 collectively make up the phrenic nerve, controlling the diaphragm, and pressure to any one of those nerves can cause decreased breathing ability due to diaphragm weakness.

     So what is the proper breathing technique?
1.  Sit up straight and don't slouch:  Slouching causes improper expansion of the ribs, which causes decreased lung capacity, etc......

2.  Breathe from your diaphragm:  You heard this in music class when you were a kid, but they were right.  This is the primary muscle for breathing and will not tire like the other muscles.

3.  Get adjusted:  Like I mentioned before, staying adjusted will keep your joints mobile, and you will be able to breathe without hindrance. 

4.  Keep your head level:  Hanging your head down or leaning it back closes off the trachea slightly and decreases the amount of air intake, and also is a major cause of snoring in most individuals, as well as people with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

5.  Breathe in through your nose and out your mouth:  Mr. Miyagi from Karate kid told this to Daniel-San all the time.  Your nose is a filter, so breathing through it filters the air, and breathing out your mouth releases the air faster.

I hope these tips on proper breathing will help you on your journey to better health and wellness!!

In Good Health,

Dr. Ara