The diaphragm is a large, thin sheet of muscle dividing the thoracic (chest) cavity from the abdominal cavity (belly), and is the major muscle of breathing. As the diaphragm contracts, the lungs move downwards, expand and fill with air. Diaphragmatic breathing, along with breathing through the nose (not the mouth) is essential for healthy breathing. However, as a breathing educator I see many clients –especially those with ME/CFS/fibromyalgia or anxiety who make little or no use of this important muscle! Instead, they often breathe though the mouth, the breathing is obvious in the upper chest, accessory muscles in the upper chest and neck and shoulders do the donkey work of lifting the ribcage, and posture is often slumped.
Here is the best 3D video of breathing I have seen though take note, normal breathing at rest would be MUCH slower and MUCH smaller and less obvious than this.
Why is it important to engage the diaphragm for breathing?
Five advantages of using the diaphragm are:
1) Efficient gas exchange –the bottom third of the lungs is where about two thirds of the gas exchange takes place, so oxygenation is more efficient when you use the diaphragm
2) Less tension and tightness in the neck and shoulders as the muscles here can relax
3) Diaphragmatic breathing rebalances the autonomic nervous system, reducing heart rate and breathing rate and changing from sympathetic fight or flight to parasympathetic calm and relax
4) Diaphragmatic breathing gently “massages” or moves the abdominal organs, aiding digestion and helping lymphatic drainage; much of the lymphatic system is located just below the diaphragm
5) The diaphragm contributes to good posture and core muscle strength, so needs to work properly. In fact overdeveloped abs and sucking the stomach in can hinder proper movement of the diaphragm, and promote upper chest breathing
How do you breathe?
Check it out, put one hand on your upper chest, the other on the belly; which moves first when you inhale, which moves most?
A good way to promote diaphragmatic breathing is to lie flat on your back with legs raised, then bent at the knee right angles and calves supported on a chair. Check that the belly is moving up and down as you breathe – a book on the belly will help to feel this. This can be further encouraged by clasping your hands behind your head. Once you get used to it, make sure you still breathe with your diaphragm when sitting, standing and moving –don’t hold it all in!
Sometimes it is very difficult for people to use the diaphragm BECAUSE they breathe badly and there is poor blood flow and oxygenation of the diaphragm. As the breathing pattern starts to improve with constant nasal breathing, blood supply improves and it becomes easier to use the diaphragm.
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I just watched a program on BBC TV about insomnia and sleep deprivation, it was an hour long, breathing was not mentioned once and some of the very short clips of people sleeping their mouths were open! they had lots of information from prominent people with remedies and experiments, they did work for some people so the program had some value, all I know is now that I have succeeded in keeping my mouth closed at night I sleep extremely well.
Thanks for sharing your experiences Barrie. I am glad that better breathing has helpe you get a good night’s sleep.
Hi,
Just want to say how I love your story because it’s similar to mine.
I am a retired homeopath with an avid interest in nutrition, exercise etc. Through my own bad health, fibromyalgia and many other problems, I have learned so much and now use a program for helping my clients. It also includes breathing and visualization.
Am at present studying hypnotherapy which is an amazing tool. I have discovered that in order to recover from a serious illness chronic or otherwise, you need to use various different tools.
June 2016 I was admitted to the cardiac unit with a sub massive clot in both my lungs and two in my left leg behind the knee and in the thigh. It has been a long journey and I am now fully recovered without any heart problems and off all blood thinning meds since a year ago, in spite of the fact the medics told me I would need to take them for the rest of my life. I have never felt better…
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, so glad you’re feeling well now and your son. Isn’t amazing how illness teaches us so much?
Warm regards/Deirdre Mac Gowan Lindfors
Thank you for sharing your story Deirdre, so glad to hear that you have made a good recovery: indeed many angles and approaches may be needed, nutrition, breathing, postural work, mind work and more, depending on the person.
I am not your average fitness buff. On the contrary you could say my exercise regime is a bit on the extreme side and most certainly not the norm. I have known about diaphram breathing for sometime but rarely have implemented it let alone tried to practice. However recently I did some serious injury to the joints in one of my legs and are also currently trying to reverse the effects of a virulent bacterial gut infection.
A couple of weeks ago I met a Clinical Joint Manipulation Therapist and Research Scientist at a natural health event. Throughout each of the hour long therapeutic sessions he takes me through where he is doing manipulation work unlike any I have ever experienced he gets me to breath through the diaphram that he believes will short circuit my injury journey to a far more healthy lifestyle. As challenging as I am finding it I am trying to unconsciously work on breathing through my stomach and sensing the movement in that part of my anatomy.