How do you breathe?
As little girls, we’re taught, “Stand up straight.” “Suck your belly in.” I can hear it on repeat in my head over and over again from coaches, parents, family members.
What if I said that this was all wrong. It looks great, but deep belly, diaphragm breath is a critical component to life.
Think about it. If you’re not breathing…life is over, isn’t it?
That begs the questions:
“How critical is breath, and what can or should you be doing to be ‘better’ at it?”
“How do we breathe?”
“Are we doing it correctly?”
I recently attended a one-month YTT (Yoga Teacher Training) in Thailand, led by Anna Sugarman Yoga and Husseiny Performance. YTT - sounds easy. A bunch of stretching right? Couldn’t be farther from the truth. We learned how to do and teach yoga properly, the philosophy behind it, anatomy, etc. - but we also learned how to meditate, how to reach flow state, and quite simply, how to breathe and the importance of breath.
Every day, we practiced at least an hour as a group and as individuals on simple breathing and I was struck with how hard this actually was. Yes, hard to actually breathe…correctly.
Did you know there’s a difference between belly breathing and breathing from your diaphragm?
Do you know the importance and impact of each?
Did you know the diaphragm is linked to the brain via the vagus nerve?
Do you ever think about how you do or don’t breathe?
The focus on breath really spoke to me. Having a mother who was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s, overall wellness has become an obsession. Genetics clearly play an undeniable role, and there are frequently recommended potential preventative steps such as taking nutritional supplements, changes to the diet (e.g. inclusion of more Omega-3s, avocados, nuts), etc. Incorrect breathing, however, has also been shown to have the potential to increase the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s. It’s a component that has only recently begun to be included in select clinical trials. It’s early, but it’s showing to be a factor.
Have you thought about how you breathe? Do you hold your breath when you’re angry? Do you find yourself short of breath when under stress? Have you actively managed how you breathe when either occurs (anger, stress or other)? To stop, slow down, and take a moment to take deep, methodical breaths, and take notice of the impact it has on your body and overall being?
As an athlete, my strength was often depleted due to holding my breath. I’ve been afraid to scuba dive as I’m afraid I won’t breathe correctly. When I’m angry or stressed, I - guess what - hold my breath. I recall similar breathing by my mom. What impact may breath have had on her later quality of life?
I don’t have many answers, but as I continue to expand on a personal wellness journey, I know I’m on the right path. I hope to share what I learn with others interested in this and other similar topics.
Be sure to follow Husseiny Performance (Instagram: @husseinyperformance) for workshops and more information about breath, mindset, nutrition & flow (another fascinating topic!!) in the meantime.
Sparkly smiles and toes,
Max Powers, Max Powers Yoga
@maxpowersyoga