Breathing: How We Get It Wrong

In a recent podcast on The Art of Manliness, guest Dr. Belisa Vranich explains her theory of breathing and a modern culture epidemic of bad breathing, mainly caused by excessive sitting in chairs. She warns of the consequences and provides detailed instructions on how to breathe in a way that increases oxygenation and lowers physiological stress activation via the Vagus Nerve.

In my practice, I frequently see upper chest, neck and shoulder breathers which drastically increases tension in these areas and limits breathing capacity where its most effective. Aside from addressing this pathological pattern that 9/10 people in the US have, she challenges popular myths we have been taught about breathing.

Among her suggestions for better breathing are:

• Try to breathe into your mid abdomen. You can do this by expanding your belly to make room for your diaphragm to expand downward which it does on the inhale. Your diaphragm actually raises naturally on the exhale.
  
• Do not breathe upward with your shoulders into your upper chest. Instead breathe horizontally in a 360 degree expansion.
• Exhale using your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles in an active contraction to fully expel air from your lungs.
• Practice doing Cat-Cow pose seated and standing with and inhale on the cow and an exhale on the cat. See images of poses below.

Listen to the podcast here.