The breath gurus have been wrong! Four common myths about breathing
It seems like every time you read about a health issue in a magazine or website lately, some alternative health guru is giving breathing instructions. These can range from the totally ridiculous to the simply misinformed. Many breathing tips are a perfect example of wrong information that “sounds” right and is repeated so many times that it takes on the ring of truth. This is how myths are formed.
The only thing certain about common beliefs about breathing is that breathing is in fact a wonderful healing tool, when done naturally and correctly. So it’s especially sad that much of what passes for good advice can often do more harm than good. Here are four of the most common misconceptions about breathing:
“Deep breathing exercises are beneficial” Deep breathing is probably the most popular advice you hear on this topic. Unfortunately, the way these exercises are described will only lead to hyperventilation, not better health. Symptoms include dizziness, lightheadedness, confusion, and nausea. And imagine this is the most common advice given to relieve panic attacks!
“We don’t have enough oxygen” High chest shallow breathing supposedly robs us of oxygen. But luckily we have more than enough oxygen. In fact, we are more often than not saturated with oxygen and what we really need is to slow down and get more carbon dioxide.
Users of the Buteyko Method have convincingly debunked the myth of oxygen depletion by applying this principle to the treatment of asthma. Slow breathing to lower high blood pressure works in a similar way and is clinically proven.
“Inhale for a count of 4, pause for 2 seconds, then exhale… (and all the same)” Typical breathing instructions include some variation of a count procedure. Counting your breath is counterproductive! All the benefits of healthy breathing require total relaxation, and there is no way to relax while counting. The same goes for tracking any kind of external timekeeper.
“You must breathe with the abdomen” This is often accompanied by an explanation that babies naturally breathe with their abdomens and that at some point we have become corrupted to breathe with our chests. This is one of those things that “seems” so convincing. Until you really think about it. The reason we no longer breathe like babies is because we have become adults!
Most activities require chest breathing, and the only time abdominal breathing is appropriate is in a state of deep relaxation. Abdominal breathing can indeed be very beneficial, but it follows naturally from a healthy and natural way of breathing.
You can easily find a lot more breathing nonsense, like breathing through one nostril and out the other, but these are nonsense that needs no comment. They mostly have to do with excess complications.
Complicated or exotic breathing methods can be great challenges for yoga or meditation, but they are not suitable for most purposes. They can be especially unpleasant for the uninitiated who might benefit more from an easy and rational breathing method.
Simple, healthy breathing comes naturally, despite what some may say. Using a simple and natural way of breathing as described below while relaxing for 15 minutes a day is clinically proven to produce a wide range of important health benefits.
Natural, healthy breathing is slow and smooth. Easy does it!
“Deep breathing” is a dangerous and misleading description that usually does more harm than good. A better way to visualize healthy breathing is “slow and easy.” You should forget about getting more oxygen, which you don’t need at rest, and focus on breathing more slowly. Slow breathing is the key to health. When you breathe slowly, 10 breaths per minute is the absolute maximum and with practice you should be able to get up to 6 breaths per minute.
The second key word is “gently”. Breathing smoothly helps you slow down, relaxes you, and also prevents hyperventilation.
Time is crucial, but don’t count on it!
Your breathing Pattern is just as important as the rate. You should exhale for about twice as long as you inhale. A brief pause of a second or two between phases is natural. But there is absolutely no need to count or follow a timekeeper! It is simply not possible to relax deeply while counting or concentrating on time. Staying relaxed is much more important than precision timing.
Also, your internal clock can calculate it close enough and keep you in the correct cycle. Just internalize the formula: inhale, pause, exhale twice as long as you inhale. It is easy!
The emphasis is obviously on the exhale. As you exhale, fully relax and let the air pressure out rather than use muscle power. If you do it right, you should feel an incredible release of tension in your chest. This is what opens up your blood vessels and lowers your blood pressure.
Abdominal breathing: it’s natural
Abdominal breathing is very healthy while relaxing, but it follows naturally as a result of slow, gentle breathing. For some people, it comes quickly and easily; for others it takes longer. But trying to instill it early on is putting the cart before the horse. It only disturbs the relaxation you need to benefit from this type of breathing in the first place.
So don’t worry about abdominal breathing. Follow my easy breathing method for 15 minutes a day and you’ll be back to breathing like a baby without even realizing it. You’ll also discover lower blood pressure, lower levels of stress and anxiety, better sleep, better mood, and any of the many other health benefits that come from the power in your breath.