One of the best tools you can have in your back pocket for dealing with everyday stress and tension, or with episodes of pain and discomfort, is your breath.
When you are in pain, or when you are worried, tense, or anxious, your breath probably becomes very shallow. Short and shallow breath creates or reinforces a chain of events in your nervous system that causes a negative spiral. The ‘fight / flight / freeze” response of the nervous system is a protective instinct that the body has developed in our human species over millennia ( It’s not going away soon!) It shuts down our functions that are not essential for survival, and sends fuel and hormones to the vital organs to help us outlast a crisis. Acute pain or mental stress and anxiety can create this effect in the nervous system once, repeatedly, or on an ongoing basis, depending on how we view the events that are happening in our own body, or in our environment. Once the stress response gets going, it can actually make the situation worse by increasing the physical tension or pain, which increases the stress .. . . . ..you can see where it is going!
Once this process gets set in motion, it can be slowed down or reversed however. The nervous system can become relaxed again if you give it support –even if the pain or mental tension is not completely relieved! The cliché statement ”just take a deep breath” has a real, biological basis and reliable results.
Breathing with full engagement of your diaphragm is a beginner’s level breathing technique that is very effective. For one thing, the diaphragm is your primary breathing muscle, and like any muscle it can be strengthened. The diaphragm has direct physical contact with your vagus nerve. The vagus nerve directly influences heart rate and it counterbalances the flight/flight /freeze or stress response. If you can slow down this stress response, you can actually reduce the physical tension throughout the body, and increase the body’s own ability to heal, soothe and calm itself. (The stress hormone cortisol –which saves our bacon short term- interferes with the body’s immunity and healing mechanisms on a long-term basis—another good reason to ‘Just breathe.’)
How to do it: Rest your hands on your stomach in a seated or lying position. As you inhale, allow the abdomen to relax and reach toward your hands. As you exhale, engage your abdomen and draw the navel toward the spine. If you are accustomed to tightening your abdomen on inhale, you may find this a little challenging. Be patient and make sure you are not straining and tensing to create the movements. Slow down your breaths gradually. You can actually count the seconds and add one or two seconds every few breaths. Emphasize lengthening your exhalations, in order to activate the relaxing efforts of your breathing practice.
Breathing is the centerpiece of a yoga technique or approach known as Viniyoga, a hatha-style of yoga which originates with the great masters of India. This approach is offered at All Hearts Center for Yoga and Wellness in group classes or private consultations. Check out the Viniyoga offerings and other great opportunities to strengthen, stretch and relax well and deeply at our studio.
Re-discover your internal balance, energy and ease.