“Diaphragmatic breathing is my secret weapon against pain.”
-Becky Curtis
Breathing is a natural process we don’t think about much. Because it is so automatic, we just assume we’re doing it right. But there are two different ways to breathe. One is shallow chest breathing, high in the chest. The other is diaphragmatic breathing‒deep breathing that expands the rib cage. As we learn to pay attention to our breathing, we will discover a wonderful stress management tool that can be used any time or place.
Chest breathing is considered shallow breathing and is the automatic way we breathe when stressed. The next time you are tense, notice your breathing pattern. You may feel tightness in the chest and realize you occasionally “catch up” with an extra-deep breath (one that sounds like a heavy sigh to those around you). If you pay attention, you may feel like you’re not getting enough air, and will notice how shallow and short your breaths are–all because the neck and chest muscles are less efficient than the diaphragm at bringing fresh air into the lungs. Chest breathing can create both chemical and structural imbalance (tension) in the body.
We live in a stressed-out society where tension seems to be the norm.
And stress takes its toll on the body, causing:
- Headaches
- Shoulder and neck pain
- Low back pain
What is Diaphragmatic Breathing? The diaphragm is a dome- shaped sheet of muscle that extends across the bottom of the rib cage. It is the strongest and most efficient breathing muscle. Utilizing the diaphragm to breathe will:
- Bring increased oxygen into the lungs
- Decrease muscle tension
- Regulate body metabolism
- Ease and reverse the biochemical effects of shallow breathing
(that engage the sympathetic nervous system) - Strengthen the diaphragm for increased efficiency
What Diaphragmatic Breathing Does For Stress Reduction and Pain Management: Those of us with Chronic illness are often chest breathers. Because we fear more pain or are stressed, we take small, shallow breaths. This only makes things worse, however, as chest breathing increases muscle tension—thus increasing the pain. What can diaphragmatic breathing do for you?
- Help to relax tense muscles.
- Be a great distraction tool. Because our brain can only concentrate on one thing at a time, a focus on breathing takes the mind away from the stress and pain.
- Reduce physical symptoms of anxiety and stress—especially through slow, deep breathing.
- Improve circulation, which improves clear thinking and relaxes body tissues.
All these reactions ease tension and, thus, reduce stress and pain.
How to Do Diaphragmatic Breathing: To begin, sit with your feet flat on the floor or lie on your back. Place one hand on your high chest and the other over your rib area (above the abdomen). As you breathe deeply, your upper chest should be still. You will feel your entire torso (rib cage and abdomen) expand as you fully inflate the lungs. Now exhale completely, pushing the air out with the abdominal muscles. As you exhale, relax your face, shoulders, neck, chest, back, and anything else that is tense.
This will become easier with practice, until you automatically engage the diaphragm—not just while sitting or lying down. Try deep breathing several times per hour until it becomes a natural part of your life. You should begin to feel less stress and tension. This is a secret weapon to use against pain flares, too—anywhere, anytime you need it! When you have mastered diaphragmatic breathing, you may want to practice and use Dr. Andrew Weil’s instructions for a little extra calming.
- Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge behind and above your front teeth and keep it there through the whole exercise.
- Inhale deeply and quietly through the nose to a count of 4 (with your mouth closed).
- Hold your breath for a count of 7.
- Exhale completely through your mouth (making a “whoosh” sound) to a count of 8.
- Repeat steps 2, 3, and 4 for a total of four breaths.
Practice this exercise at least twice a day and whenever you feel stressed, anxious, or off center. Adjust the approach so it works best for you.
Why This Works: The autonomic nervous system (responsible for involuntary functions like heart rate and digestion) can be divided into two subsystems—sympathetic and parasympathetic. The first keeps us safe; the second relaxes us and keeps the body in balance. Think of the sympathetic nervous system as the rapid-response system that engages our fight-or-flight response. Things that increase sympathetic tone include:
