Breathe Right: Is There A “Right” Way to Breathe?

Breathe Right: Is There A "Right" Way to Breathe?

Breathing – the first and last thing you ever will do!

As one of our most basic yet fundamental functions, it isn’t natural to think of our breathing all the time.

Unfortunately, we now live in a world where poor posture, stress and anxiety are commonplace.

These three things can adversely impact how well we breathe.

Optimal breathing requires an “open breathing window” which allows for full diaphragmatic contraction and relaxation. This window is the space between your lower ribs and the top of your pelvis (stomach area).

Breathe Right: Is There A "Right" Way to Breathe?

When you slouch, you close the window, preventing your diaphragm from fully contracting, forcing your breath to your chest.

Breathe Right: Is There A "Right" Way to Breathe?

Stress and anxiety can both have strong influences on posture, often leading to altered breathing mechanics and thus share many symptoms with breathing pattern disorders.

Do you experience any of the following?

  • Brain fog
  • Headaches
  • Jaw tension
  • Muscle pain and fatigue
  • Upset gut
  • Neck, shoulder and lower back pain
  • Numbness
  • Bladder and bowel problems
  • Impaired exercise performance

Do you breathe through your mouth more than your nose?

Do you hold your breath?

Do you yawn or sigh frequently through the day?

If you answered YES to any of these questions you may have a breathing pattern disorder.

What is the right way to breathe?

The Bradcliff Method® proposes that at rest we should breathe in and out through our nose using our diaphragm with a longer exhale than inhale. This allows for optimal gas exchange and is most energy efficient

Breathe Right: Is There A "Right" Way to Breathe?

Breathing through your mouth is more likely to engage neck and chest muscles, increasing your energy expenditure by a factor of 10! This can lead to overbreathing or a chronic hyperinflation syndrome – conditions by which you don’t fully exhale and consequently struggle to fully inhale, potentially leading to symptoms mentioned in the list above.

Think you may have an issue with your breathing? Contact us to today – we would be more than happy to answer any of your questions!

#bradcliffmethod #breathing

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