In my office I like to keep things as simple as possible for my patients. Previously, we talked about the proper mechanics of gait or walking. Today I want to talk about the very simple act of breathing and some key strategies to enhance the amount of oxygen you get to your body.
In today's busy world various factors disrupt the simple act of breathing. Stress, anxiety, and the mere act of sitting at your computer all day can hinder the act of respiration. Stress and anxiety may cause one to take shallow rapid breaths with a focus on the contraction of the accessory muscles of respiration which generally include the small muscles in between you ribs called your intercostals that elevate the ribs and the scalene muscles and scm muscles that are positioned from around your clavicle to the mid portion of your neck and base of your skull. I'll often find these muscles to be really tight in those people with headaches, tight shoulders, and sinus congestion which point to improper breathing as a factor.
Many of us understand the importance of oxygen in our lives. Like gasoline for a car, oxygen is the fuel of our life. It is responsible for producing cellular energy and thus the energy to make it through the day. Various enzymatic functions in the body rely on oxygen and therefore aiding in digestion among many other enzymatic processes. Oxygen is used to help keep the internal environment of the body clean through various oxidation reactions that occur to help rid the body of harmful toxins. And most importantly, oxygen is one of the brains primary nutrients to function. The brain uses up 20% of the body's oxygen to function. Without oxygen we would have a very hard time surviving. A few strategies to increase your oxygen intake and efficiency:
1) Extending your neck and raising your chest.
2) Diaphragmatic breathing- as seen in video
3) Exercise
4) Getting checked for anemia
5) Making sure your lungs and heart work properly
Try 1-3 to the experience the benefits of proper breathing including reduced stress/anxiety, detoxifying effect, mental clarity, pain relief and even better moods!
-Dr. Pontarelli
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