How to Take a Deep Breath (The Correct Way)

We have all heard the advice "take a deep breathe" when we are feeling stress, anxious, or nervous. Then, we proceed to take a voluminous, full-bodied breath. Sometimes this is helpful. Other times, this can exacerbate our stress levels and send us further into a tail spin? Why is that?

Well, our lungs hold receptors to our nervous system that regulate our emotions and subsequently influence our physiology.  Each time we take a breath in, we activate our sympathetic nervous system, which releases the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. This is a healthy and essential response of our nervous system, as these hormones act as fuel for our body's internal functioning. However, the more often we breathe, or the greater volume we breathe, we accelerate the release of stress hormones. When we have a surplus of stress hormones, our body begins to perceive there is a threat to our safety and begins to shut down internal functioning. Again, this is a perfectly normal and essential survival adaptive response of our nervous system that is only meant to persist momentarily. Unfortunately,  if we experience chronic stress our body begins to shut down internal functioning indefinitely, and this leads to a damage of our health on a cellular level. As a result, we may develop undesirable mental and physical health outcomes, such as chronic illness, disease, cancer, and even death. 

When we take a deep breath that is  large in volume, it tends to land in our upper chest. While this may feel good temporarily as the expansion in your chest stretches muscles that have been contracted, you may notice that it does very little for your stress levels. This is because our upper chest holds sympathetic nervous system receptors. Likewise, breathing through your mouth instead of your nose also activates your sympathetic nervous system.  As a result, each time you take a breath into your upper chest, you are further activating your body's stress response. With each inhale, your breath will become more rapid, and shallow resulting in hyperventilation.  Hyperventilation is simply the act of over breathing; however, it can lead to feelings of panic and anxiety and further dysregulation of your nervous system. This can lead to a vicious cycle of stress perpetuating bad breathing patterns, and bad breathing patterns reinforcing feelings of stress and anxiety. 

Try it for yourself. Take a few voluminous breaths in through your mouth and into your upper chest. You will quickly notice that your body enters a state of panic. 

Luckily, by learning how to control your breathing through mindfulness, we are able to break this cycle of physiological stress and poor breathing habits. Correct breathing, through our nose and into our middle and lower diaphragm, slams the brakes on our body's sympathetic nervous system (stress) response, and activates our parasympathetic nervous system receptors. Accordingly, our releases feel good hormones such as dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. Our parasympathetic nervous system also allows promotes healing, detoxing, and the regeneration of cells, tissues, organs, and muscles. The result is internal homeostasis of internal functioning that allows us to enjoy elevated moods, peace of mind, and a sense of self-mastery. 

In order to take an effective deep breath, it is helpful to be mindful of a few tips:

1.  Use your hands as your guides. First, place one hand on your chest and the other hand on your stomach. Breathe naturally to begin with and take stock of where your breath is landing. If you are feeling particularly stressed or you are new at breathing exercises, then your breath is most likely landing in your upper chest. 
2. Close your eyes (if it feels safe to do so) or softly fix your gaze on something inanimate. Turn your awareness inward and focus on the sensation of your breath. How does it feel traveling to your lungs? (smooth vs constricted; short vs long; rapid vs slow; nose vs mouth; inhale vs exhale longer).
3. Be mindful. Aim your breath downward so the hand on your stomach rises before the hand on your chest. Feel your stomach inflate and distend as you inhale, and pull stomach muscles inward and upward as you exhale.
4. Once you feel you have good control of the direction of your breath, move your upper hand from your chest to your rib cage. The goal is to expand both your mid and lower diaphragm together for full expansion
5. When you inhale, always breathe through your nose and constrict your throat slightly to control air volume. When you exhale, purse your lips like you are breathing through a straw. 
6. Connect each inhale and exhale together, slow and continuous, like a tide rolling in and out. 

By following this guide and practicing breathwork daily, you increase mindfulness over your breathing patterns through-out the day. As you become more mindful of your default breathing, the more resilient you teach your body to be during periods of challenge, disturbance, or stress. You will be more clear minded as you are not as negatively impacted by the harrowing effects from stress hormones and the more capable you will be of managing challenges in a positive and productive manner. As a result, you will feel empowered and aligned with your best intentions. Moreover, you'll enjoy improved physical health, energy levels,  and an overall more vital life!