Stress and the breath - the ins & outs

‘And breathe’…

It’s often a well-intentioned piece of advice, and one given sometimes casually to colleagues or acquaintances when a stressful situation arises. But what is really happening to the breath when we are stressed, and why is ineffective breath so problematic?

We all have times of stress, and actually, stress can be a good thing (to some extent). But not when stress is your permanent state and it starts to affect your everyday life. Constant stress can quite easily manifest into anxiety, and I know how debilitating this can be first-hand. I personally have suffered from anxiety. 

It was not until an osteopath highlighted my breathing patterns (whilst treating back pain) that I become aware of the true importance of healthy breathing habits as part of managing anxiety (often as movement professionals we see back pain and anxiety go hand in hand).

At the time of my anxiety, I was in a stressful job, trying to manage a growing family, undertaking a Doctorate and also (on reflection) likely going through peri-menopause. I now realise I was constantly in ‘fight mode’, trying to do it all, but ‘carrying on’ (clearly not ‘keeping calm, and carrying on’ in this case)!! The constant stress state had to have its consequences….

What happens to our breath when we are stressed?

First, it’s useful to outline what effective breath does for us. Effective breath allows the diaphragm, (the large ‘dome’ of muscle that connects to the ribs) to contract and move down, allowing the lungs to fill with air. Breath is about taking oxygen out of the air and delivering it, via the blood, to our muscles and organs, including the brain. Equally critical, breath removes carbon dioxide from the body.

Breath is not just vertical: the diaphragm moves laterally, as well as vertically and it’s important to not only expand your abdomen, but also the sides and back of the body too when you breathe. In the studio with clients, I use simple breathing techniques to bring awareness to these patterns. The stomach should rise when we breathe. A full range of breath is thought to involve the lower lobes of the lungs which have receptors that activate our ‘thrive’ state, compared to the upper lobes, which have more receptors that trigger a ‘stress state’.

Our breath rate is also a signal to the brain. So when we are stressed, we breathe faster, and our brain will read this as if we are fleeing from danger. Shallow breathing raises cortisol levels, increases our heart rate and blood pressure, and also raises levels of our stress hormone, cortisol. It also encourages overuse of the accessory muscles around the neck and shoulders (and often creates a ‘tension headache’ as a result).

Breathing quickly (hyperventilating) also upsets the balance of oxygen intake and carbon dioxide release; in effect too little carbon dioxide in the body can result in light-headedness, tingling in the hands, or muscle cramps.

Conversely, full breath signals to the parasympathetic system that all’s ok with the world. It provides a sense of calm and takes us out of fight mode, whilst signalling to the nervous system, (via the vagus nerve) to reduce your heart rate, blood pressure, and the amount of cortisol, the stress hormone in the body.

What was my approach to relieving anxiety?

I came back to Pilates having done some previously (soon after having children). I enjoyed it then, but struggled to fit it into my schedule, (sound familiar)?! But this time around (a number of years later) I was in a place to really receive the benefits and learn more. I loved the mind and body connection that the practice gave me and learned so much more about my own body. Having then continued my practice over a number of years, I was really drawn to qualifying as a teacher, and my journey to becoming a Comprehensive Pilates teacher began (with a career change to boot, but that’s another story). I trained with Polestar Pilates, who have an evidence-based but holistic approach, their first Principle of Practice being the breath.

Over time, I have been able to change my own breath pattern from ‘accessory breathing’ to a more effective diaphragmatic breath. Teaching and practising Pilates helps me to reiterate this practice and share it with my clients both on a one-to-one basis and within group mat classes. All my sessions focus on the breath initially to bring you a sense of presence and relaxation.

What can you do?

The first thing is to NOTICE. What are your breathing patterns like? When you take a breath, where does that movement start? Does the upper chest really rise, but the stomach stays still (or worse, do you draw the stomach in?) Do you draw breath ‘up’ rather than out? Are you able to keep your shoulders down, or do they come up around your ears? Focussing on what’s happening in our own body (somatic movement) is key to really being present and bringing a sense of calm.

There are a number of breathing techniques and exercises that can help you. Dr Chattergee is a good resource in this respect – see https://www.drchattergee.com/breathing. There are also a number of meditation apps such as Insight Timer, or Calm that offer guided short sessions. And of course, you can practice Pilates, or any other ‘mind and body’ based movement such as Yoga, Tai-Chi or Qi Gong. It’s about finding something that works for you.

Movement is personal to everyone; the important thing is making movement part of your regular schedule. We all lead busy lives but ensure that you add this to your ‘to-do’ list.

Just don’t forget to breathe….

Sarah

Some material is sourced from ‘The Stress Solution’ - Dr Rangan Chattergee

For help with anxiety, visit http://mind.org.uk or http://anxietyuk.org.uk

Positive Pilates Founder and blog author, Dr. Sarah Edwards, is a Polestar Pilates International qualified Comprehensive Pilates teacher, a Mental Health First Aider, and a Doctor of Education. More about Sarah >