Every breath you take could be hurting you
Yes, you read that right! Do you have neck pain, or a tingling down your arm? The problem could be as simple as the way you breathe. Breathing incorrectly can cause you pain, and chances are, you are breathing incorrectly right now. So lets check, shall we?
Doesn’t this look like Heidi Gardner taking a whiff of fresh mountain air?
Lay on your back and fall into a comfortable relaxed breathing pattern. Now place one hand on your belly button, and one just in the center of your rib cage. Gently take a few deeper breaths and take note of which hand you feel moving more than the other.
Are your hands moving evenly? Are you breathing from the rib cage or from your gut?
Most of us use our rib cage to fill our lungs with air, and this leaves our core relaxed and inactive. And thus, it causes other muscles to pick up the slack.
When you use your rib cage to take each gasp of air, you engage your scalene muscles on the side of your next with each and every breath. Tight scalene muscles not only leads to a sore neck, but it can also be the cause of your tension headaches. Furthermore, tingling down your arm can also be caused by tight scalene muscles, as they compress on your brachial plexus (bunch of arm nerves).
Don't believe me? Test it out. Take a deep breath while pressing on the side of your neck. That tension you feel is your muscles doing the work someone else is supposed to be doing (hint: looking at you, diaphragm). The stiffness and soreness is their way of saying they are overworked.
Let's focus on making your diaphragm do the work it was intended to do. Here's how:
Take a deep breath into your gut for 4 counts. Fill your belly with air. Concentrate on breathing deep into your core. Hold for 4, and now force the air out through your lips, engaging your core muscles to assist with the exhalation. Sit empty for 4, then repeat these steps a few times.
Now sit up and practice the same series again. You may notice that you automatically have better posture. Your shoulders might relax and fall into place. Did your heart rate drop? Feel your neck muscles now. Are they still engaged or are they finally taking a vacation?
Mastering your breath will not only help you with poor posture and muscle tension, but it can help you lower stress. Less stress equals a healthier, happier you. Taking deep breaths helps signal to the body that all is well in the world and we can rest & digest. Faster shallow breathing signals the brain to enter fight or flight mode, which releases stress hormones. Prolonged exposure to these hormones is not good for your health! Check out the links to learn more. It's up to you, but luckily all you need to do is take a deep breath more often.
James Palmer is a Licensed Mobile Massage Therapist at the Jersey Shore, serving Sea Girt, Spring Lake, Asbury Park, Long Branch, Red Bank, Eatontown, Monmouth Beach, Deal, Rumson, and Little Silver.
