Have you ever seen a business professional, student, athlete, or musician exude superpower confidence in a stressful situation? Chances are they've been practicing their breathing to reset their nervous system.
You also have this innate ability to facilitate toning and strengthening of the nervous system to handle everyday life and master stress.
Breathing and the Nervous System Reflect each other.
The next time you feel stressed and have something important to accomplish, consider trying breathing techniques.
If you practice daily, your brain and body will become conditioned and toned to master stress before your nervous system takes you for a bumpy ride.
Your Breathing Superpower
Breathing and the ANS are bidirectional - the rate and rhythm of breathing affect the activation of either sympathetic or parasympathetic.
Rapid breathing turns on the sympathetic system, yet studies show that slow and rhythmic breathing reduces the sympathetic branch and activates the calming parasympathetic nervous system.
Breathing Techniques to Self-Regulate and Build Natural Resilience
Sunnie Mortimer's Personal Breathing Technique, "Nose-to-Toes" -
The soft focus on the words, breath, and the body will help you to feel calm and grounded.
1. Take a natural and gentle breath in through the nose and notice the sensation of the air around the nose as it then becomes the breath.
2. Follow the flow down towards the lungs and feel the lower lung area and belly's expansion.
3. Exhale and feel the sensation of 'letting go' of the breath and muscle tightness.
4. Imagine the breath continuing down the body to the toes.
5. Think 'nose' on the inhale and 'toes' on the exhale.
"Notice the Breath" Technique –
Research shows that simply giving attention to the breath decreases the rate and increases respiratory stability.
Try bringing one Thought from the thinking process to the noticing process. Just be aware of 1 of 20,000 breaths you take each day.
You Breathe Automatically. Why Give it Thought?
There are advantages to practicing breathing techniques often during the day, making them a daily routine, and during times of stress or challenge.
You can slow the breathing rate and activate the parasympathetic nervous system - beginning the cascade of physiological responses beneficial to the mind and body.
Breathing helps quiet the areas of the brain involved with stress, release muscle tightness and tension, direct blood back to the gut for better digestion, improve sleep, and increase a sense of well-being; helping the mind and body to feel relaxed and at ease.
We Breathe ~ 20,000 Times a Day to Maintain the Body.
Breathing and respiration are complex mechanical and chemical functions that deliver oxygen to cells, create the energy required for every body function, and remove carbon dioxide waste.
Maintaining the delicate pH balance of the body is a primary function of breathing. The lungs and kidneys work together to keep the blood slightly alkaline, within the narrow pH range required for health.
Movement of the respiratory pump creates pressure changes in the thoracic and abdominal cavities. These pressure changes are vital for the circulatory, cardiovascular, and lymphatic systems.
Breathing also impacts the muscular and skeletal systems, posture, digestion, speech, and metabolism.
The Science - Two Opposing Branches of the Autonomic Nervous System
The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) controls involuntary actions such as heart rate, breathing rate, digestion, pupil dilation, metabolism, sleep-wake cycle, and tissue repair.
The ANS has two essential opposing branches, a gas pedal and brake, sympathetic and parasympathetic. The mind and body are flexible and balanced when these pedals operate smoothly.
Gas Pedal -
The sympathetic nervous system is known as 'fight-or-flight.' This branch motivates, readies, and moves the body and mind for action. It is dominant during mental and physical activity, exercise, stressful situations, and when facing a challenge. When the gas pedal or sympathetic branch is dominant, breathing becomes shallower and faster.
Brake Pedal -
The parasympathetic nervous system is known as 'rest and digest.' This branch helps the mind and body feel calm and still. It slows the heart rate, promotes digestion, and refills the energy reserve that supports and renews body functions. When the brake pedal or parasympathetic branch is dominant, breathing becomes slower and deeper.
If you have found the information helpful, please pass it along. If you want to master stress - Contact Sunnie Mortimer, Board Certified Holistic Nurse and Founder of Natural-Resilience, to learn more.
Citation -
Conrad, A., Müller, A., Doberenz, S. et al. Psychophysiological Effects of Breathing Instructions for Stress Management. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 32, 89–98 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-007-9034-x
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