STRESS AND BREATHING

Stress influences breathing in two very different ways:

Short-term stress (like being in the middle of an argument, preparing to give a major speech, or being cut off in traffic) tends to INCREASE BREATHING RATE and may lead to hyperventilation.

§         Breathing practice: The 4/8 Breath slows down your breath and emphasizes the exhalation.

Long-term, chronic stress (like working in a job where you have no control, struggling with a chronic health problem, or living in debt) tend to INHIBIT BREATHING.

§         Breathing practice: Breath awareness and the 3-Part Breath, to develop an unrestricted breath.

Why are the effects of short-term stress and chronic stress different?  

                                         Chronic Stress             Short-term Stress

                                    Overwhelm/Vigilance   Fight or Flight Response

The Effects of Chronic Stress on Breathing: The Inhibited Breathing Pattern.

  An inhibited breathing pattern – basically, not breathing deeply or frequently enough - is associated with chronic perceived stress (feeling overwhelmed by life), but not necessarily with fluctuations in mood, thoughts, or events. It is also associated with ongoing social threats (i.e. feeling powerless) and vigilance, or “readiness for avoidance contingencies” (in other words, constantly looking for ways to protect yourself or escape!).

The inhibited breathing pattern may contribute to chronic elevated blood pressure, (Anderson, NIH).  The theory is that individuals who chronically ‘under’breathe maintain high concentrations of carbon dioxide in the blood, which increases kidney retention of sodium, which affects blood pressure via increased blood volume and cardiac output.  

This pattern is more common in women than in men (Anderson & Chesney, 2002).                      

The practice: Hit the ‘reset’ button – practice the relaxed, 3-part breath, whenever you think of it.  Practice often enough to reset your breathing pattern. This is a learned, habitual pattern that is best ‘unlearned’ on an ongoing basis, by monitoring your breathing throughout the day. 

Will this practice decrease chronic stress?

YES! Holding your breath literally keeps you frozen. Deep, relaxed breathing transforms your mindset. The awareness, presence of mind, and sense of empowerment will enable you to deal with the major stressors in your life that you can change, and accept the things you can’t change.

The Effects of Short-term Stress on the Breath: Hyperventilation.

What is the short-term stress response? 

A cascade of physical responses that includes increases in:        

§         Respiration Rate and Depth           

§         Blood Pressure                              

§         Heart Rate

What is the best response?  The 4/8 Breath:

§         Exhaling (8 counts) for twice as long as you inhale (4 counts).

§         Taking fewer breaths per minute.

The heart rate slowing, blood pressure lowering breathing practice:

Step 1: Lengthen your exhalations in relationship to your inhalations. 

Your heart rate is naturally slower during an exhalation than during an inhalation.  During the stress response, respiration rate increases, emphasizing the inhalation (to get more oxygen into the blood to prepare for action).  

Step 2: Lower your respiration rate.  Take fewer full breaths per minute. You are consciously opposing increased sympathetic activation (fight-or-flight response). 

Begin by noticing your breathing. Count the length of each inhalation and exhalation.

Begin to even out the lengths of the inhalations and exhalations, if the inhalation is longer than the exhalation. Maintain this even pace until it feels comfortable and not forced (i.e. “Inhale 2 3 4, Exhale 2 3 4”). 

Begin to lengthen the exhalation in comparison to the inhalation.  Start slowly (i.e. “Inhale 2 3 4, Exhale 2 3 4 5”), and build up to “Inhale 2 3 4, Exhale 2 3 4 5 6 7 8”.  This may be difficult at first; just lengthen as much as you can without straining.  Note – you may still be breathing somewhat rapidly.  This is OK. 

The last step is to slow the entire breath down.  You can do this using the muscles of respiration, or the “pinch nose, purse lip” technique.

This breathing technique has a similar effect to breathing into a bag (decreasing oxygen concentration in the blood by breathing in your own carbon dioxide); but unlike breathing into a bag, this is a practice that can be done subtly, continuously, and without fanfare. This breathing technique is also recommended for pain relief.  

Does it work?  Cappo and Holmes (1984) showed that this breathing practice is only effective during anticipation of a stressor/threat (electrical shocks) or recovery from an acute stressor.  In practice sessions, it had no effects on sympathetic activation.  

Breathwork: Continue breath awareness (particularly paying attention to inhibited breathing), breath stretches, and 3-Part Breath practice.

Next week: Energy and Breathing 

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