Why There’s More To Breathing Than You Think
Breathing is one of our most vital functions- if we’re not breathing, we’re not living! But it’s important, especially for dancers and other athletes who rely upon their body to perform at its peak, not to take breathing for granted. By optimising how you breathe, you can impact everything from your recovery, to your mobility, to managing your stress levels, and so much more!
The Different Types of Breathing:
Diaphragmatic Breathing: Diaphragmatic breathing uses the muscular activation of the diaphragm, which separates the thorax from the abdomen. Proper deep diaphragmatic breathing taps into our rest and digest (parasympathetic) nervous system, or PNS. There are more nerves connecting to the PNS are located in the lower lobes of the lungs which get stimulated with a big belly breath. A proper diaphragmatic breath will also massage the organs as it descends and elevates and so can aid digestion. With a good diaphragmatic breath, we want to see expansion of the low rib cage both side to side and forwards and back; a full increase in circumference. Imagine filling up a large balloon in the belly area.
Apical Breathing: Apical, or upper chest breathing, is generally shallower and taps more into our fight/flight nervous system (Sympathetic Nervous System, SNS). This type of chest breathing also uses ‘accessory muscles’ found in and around the neck- which can lead to tightness in the neck and shoulders. Jill Miller ( YogaTuneUp/ Bodybybreath) refers to upper chest breathing in 2 parts, the normal upper rib cage motion that may occur if we need more breath in , and then breathing with the accessory muscles when we are under more stress. Upper chest breathing can be dominant if you grip your abdominals excessively.
Nose breathing: It is preferable to nose-breathe both at rest and during exercise. Nose breathing further stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which feeds into the body’s ‘calming’ mechanism. The nose is also designed to filter debris and bacteria with the hairs and mucus in the nasal passages – and so acts as the first line of defense against illness. It warms the breath and adds moisture as it enters the lungs, and will also have a positive effect on the levels of circulating O2 and CO2 in the blood.
Mouth breathing: Like the upper chest breaths, mouth breathing feeds into the SNS, our fight or flight response. Chronic mouth breathing can also lead to poor oral development, including tooth placement and head/neck placement.
Breathing and the Vagus Nerve
The vagus nerve is one of the longest and most important nerves in the body. The vagus nerve consists of both sensory and motor fibres, meaning it carries signals both from the body to the brain (sensory) and from the brain to the body (motor). It is involved in a wide range of physiological processes, including heart rate and blood pressure regulation, digestion, respiration, inflammation and immune response and brain-body communication.
Diaphragmatic breathing helps to stimulate the vagus nerve to maintain homeostasis, promote relaxation, and support these essential bodily functions.
Below are three prime examples of how optimal breathing can affect your movement and performance:
Breathing and Recovery: Breathing can be a highly effective tool to aid recovery and improve your stamina during a long dance routine. By checking in with your diaphragmatic and nasal breathing – for instance during a pause or a quick costume change- you can instantly lower your heart rate, reduce your blood pressure and allow the body to restore its energy systems so that you can keep going. One simple technique is called box breathing ; breathe in for 3 counts, hold for 3 counts, then exhale for 3 counts and hold for 3 counts. You can also extend the exhale period for even better HRV effects.Breathing and Flexibility: The diaphragm forms part of the body’s deep front line (Thomas Myers, Anatomy Trains), which means that it has a fascial connection to the psoas, illiacus, inner thigh (adductors) and groin. It also travels all the way up to the neck and jaw area. By taking just 3-4 deep diaphragmatic breaths before we stretch or move, we can better access our parasympathetic nervous system, lower neural tone in the muscles and improve range of movement along the deep front line of the body and the muscles it connects with. Perception of stress = a tight body.
Breathing and Core Function: The diaphragm is one of 4 main muscle groups that make up our inner core unit: The diaphragm, the pelvic floor, the transversus abdominis and the multifidus. The core group of muscles are endurance based, subtle to activate, and are driven by the movement of the diaphragm. When we breathe in, the diaphragm presses down, which has the effect of pushing the abdominal contents down and out. This stimulates a small stretch within the transversus abdominis and the pelvic floor. When our muscles are stretched and stimulated, they then contract as a response ( the stretch to shorten mechanism). This contraction provides the stability that is required to help support the hips and pelvis and the movement of our outer muscles. So by achieving efficient diaphragmatic breath, the inner core unit can activate, and the body is better able to stabilise.
The videos below show run over some of the important parts to our breathing , the effect of the breath on flexibility, and how we can release and massage to diaphragm ( Roll Model – Jill Miller ).
Band-ITS Small Stability Ball
Use the Band-ITS stability ball to release through the abdomen and improve your diaphragmatic breathing. This is a great addition to any workout, a truly versatile and durable piece of equipment that every dancer should have in their toolbox!
