Just Breathe
Breathing is easy, right? In, out, repeat. We do it without thinking thousands of times every day. What on earth could you possibly learn about breathing?
Lots. And it’s really important stuff -so important, I named my clinic Breathe Physical Therapy.
Not sure where to start? First, we learn the mechanics of optimal breathing, and how most of us are getting air in and out of our lungs, but not necessarily in the easiest or most beneficial way. That’s an excellent place to start, and it’s not easy for everyone.
The good news is, I love doing breath work with people. I love showing people how much better it can feel to really, REALLY, take a deep, diaphragmatic breath. The diaphragm is such an important muscle. I mean, it literally keeps us alive. Structurally, the double dome shape of your diaphragm separates the contents of your chest cavity from the contents of your abdominal cavity. Whether or not it’s functioning optimally can have an effect on lots of different parts of our body.
Using your diaphragm optimally can:
Lower your heart rate and blood pressure
Decrease tension in your muscles
Reduce the hormones in your body related to stress
Turn on the part of your nervous system responsible for our “rest and digest” state - the opposite of “fight or flight”.
Strengthen your immune system
You didn’t think I was going to get through a topic without talking about your pelvic floor or pooping, did you? Your respiratory diaphragm and your pelvic floor are like dance partners - both of them work better when they work together. Using your diaphragm well helps to manage the pressure in your abdominal cavity. And what does that have to do with your pelvic floor, you might ask? If your pelvic floor has to fight extra pressure from above, it has to work a lot harder to keep you from peeing when you laugh, sneeze, or cough. It can also affect symptoms related to pelvic organ prolapse.
You’re not getting out of here without a digestion discussion! When you breathe deeply, with your diaphragm moving down into your belly, your digestive organs get a gentle massage. This can help with abdominal pain, bloating, and constipation. Deep diaphragmatic breathing can also help you have easier, more complete bowel movements. Between massaging the digestive organs, and helping the pelvic floor muscles relax, diaphragmatic breathing on the toilet is a win-win situation.
Still not sure how breathing is going to help with ALL the things? Give me a call, shoot me an email, or leave a comment below. Let's talk about it!
