Smile, breathe and go slowly. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
“Don’t forget to breathe…” is a reminder I share regularly with my massage clients before a session begins. Breathing is so vital to our daily lives, yet easy to take for granted; both on & off the massage table.
Similar to the importance of breath work used in yoga, meditation and other stress-reduction techniques, deep breathing (also called diaphragmatic breathing or belly breathing) during bodywork is a simple tool that allows us to s l o w down, let go of busy thoughts and connect our body to our mind + spirit.
Breathing puts us in touch with ourselves. Taking the time to learn to breathe properly makes us conscious of our breath, calling us to be present.
“Chest breathing” is the rapid, shallow breathing that happens when much of our air exchange happens at the top of our lungs—especially when we feel stressed. In fact, much of the tightness and discomfort we experience in the muscles of our neck, shoulders and chest can be attributed to this type of breathing! Unfortunately, short breaths result in an overall restriction of the connective and muscular tissue in the chest, which also means less oxygen transfer to the blood and poor delivery of nutrients to the tissues.
On the other hand, when we take full, deep breaths, the diaphragm, which is the large muscle located between the chest and the abdomen, contracts and is forced downward causing the abdomen to expand. A negative pressure within the chest is created– forcing air into the lungs and then pulling blood into the chest. This improves both the flow of blood back to the heart and lymph, loaded with immune cells, through the lymphatic system. These physical conditions, ultimately, can stimulate a relaxation response that results in less tension in the body and an overall sense of well-being.
Breathing exercises, such as the ones below, can be done anytime and anywhere.
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Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. When you take a deep breath in, the hand on the abdomen should rise higher than the one on the chest.
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After exhaling through the mouth, take a slow deep breath in through your nose and hold it for a count of 7 (or as long as you are able, not exceeding 7)
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Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of 8. As all the air is released with relaxation, gently contract your abdominal muscles to completely evacuate the remaining air from the lungs.
Remember to breathe – you will feel the difference!
Rachel Schaffer, LMT @ The Still Point
