How many times in a day do you remind yourself to take a breath?
About.... never amount of times right?
We're about to take a dive in, this time you don't have to keep your nose plugged.
When we think of breathing, we realize this concept is the natural order of things. It's the first thing we do when we arrive in this world from the womb and the last mechanism we use as our soul leaves our body. It's almost as if we unconsciously take for granted these large, spongy organs right here beside our beating heart.
We're going to be all over the map today!
Science!
Reading!
&& trying to say some words right!
(Don't worry; they're there to guide you to the main point.)
Probably a pop quiz coming soon!
Just kidding! Let's get back into it.
Our breathing is 100% connected to our nervous system.
Here, our well-being is tampered with. When inhaling and exhaling, our physical and mental state is impacted and ignited by our autonomic nervous system, "under involuntary control, it regulates the functions of our internal organs, like our heart, stomach, and glands" (CrashCourse A&P #13).
Super-duper power over us!
Constantly adjusting, whether to excite or subdue, altering our body temperature, pumping extra blood to certain areas, or even slowing our heartbeat or tweaking our stomach secretion (CrashCourse A&P #13).
I just want to show you that when you become upset or excited and feel you don't have control of the overwhelming sensation inside YOUR body, you can stabilize the coming effects and decrease the risk of future diseases from manifesting!
Today, here, we'll begin to understand, just barely, why auto-immune diseases manifest and why other diseases/ aches/ pains or spontaneous bursts of "excitement" or adrenaline happen inside all of us.
I am not a doctor, nor am I licensed.
But I truly believe that we can feel our way through this journey—provided you receive accurate information regarding our health as humans, and I promise I will do my best to assure that!
Here, we're going to focus on just two primary complementary divisions of the autonomic nervous system that act in opposition to one another (CrashCourse, A&P #13).
Sibling rivalry is more like it.
Each one screams to see who's going to tell Mom first.
"Mom" being our physical and emotional well-being!
Serving the same organs, however, producing adverse effects!
"What the French Toast!"
One:
The messages from the Sympathetic Nervous system are urgent, all hands on deck, high activity, panic, internal alarm bells, and a fight-or-flight response. It's located between the thoracic vertebrae where our ribs attach. The heart, lungs, stomach, and adrenal glands are affected (CrashCourse, A&P #13).
An article from Science Daily provides us with detailed evidence that,
prolonged activation can elicit the release of adrenaline [and cortisol].
Once released, noradrenaline and adrenaline bind adrenergic [ ad-ruh-nur-jik ] receptors on peripheral tissues (where neurons attach to cause the effect physically displayed). Binding to adrenergic receptors causes the effects seen during the fight-or-flight response.
These include pupil dilation, increased sweating, increased heart rate, and increased blood pressure (Sympathetic Nervous System).
SECOND:
The parasympathetic nervous system is located above and below the Sympathetic Nervous system. This is the resting and digesting home, talks you down, man, peace, maintaining body and conserving energy; processes food and takes a nap pretty much; cozy, wouldn't you say?! Craniosacral nerves sprout from the base of the brain (where the brainstem resides) and from the sacral spinal cord (Pelvic nerves affected), superior to the tailbone. These Parasympathetic ganglia are found near or outside their effector organ (CrashCourse, A&P #15 + Ninja Nerd).
To transmit information from one area of the body to the other, neurons meet in
GANGLIA!
A land far, far away...
Just kidding!
"Ganglia are clusters of neuron cell bodies that house millions of synapses; where the two neurons meet" and "talk" about what's happening: "how's dinner?" and "OMG Diane, did you hear what Sally said to Martha yesterday!" As well as " CLEAR THE WAY! I HAVE TO POOP!" Here, they decide what organs to send the information to (CrashCourse, A&P #13).
Certain chemicals cause the contraction of what reactions your body will feel and what thoughts are about to flood your mind.
The Vagus Nerve: (Main Parasympathetic Nerve/ Automatic)
Neuroscientifically Challenged's 2-minute video helps us understand how large this nerve extends. It travels from the brainstem to the colon, carrying sensory information from the throat, inner and outer ear, and the back of the head. Additionally, it contributes to the effect when swallowing and talking.
Image provide by Breathology.com, "Master Your Nervous System."The article "The Influence of Breathing on the Central Nervous System," written by Bruno Bordoni, states:
"This nerve is essential for the compliance of the respiratory airways, activating before the air enters the lungs: during the inhalation when the tongue is retruded.
The respiratory rhythm, directly and indirectly, affects the central nervous system (CNS)."
It also plays a minor role in taste and contributes to slowing our heart rate; it influences touch, pain, and temperature within our bodies. This is where sensory information is carried out and relays outgoing motor instructions from the brain, affecting our heart, lungs, stomach, and the rest of the body.
In milliseconds, a thought is transmitted and broken down into tiny, detailed data!
BAM!
Suddenly, our bodies produce so many chemicals that we can't keep track.
We begin to exhibit maybe inflammation or an increased heart rate, high blood pressure, or even signs of apathetic behavior or seeming relaxed.
Our bodies are constantly trying to maintain internal stability.
The Adrenal Gland/Cortex-
MedCram -Medical specifies that this gland is on top of the kidney on either side, secreting steroid hormones such as Cortisol. The cortex alone is primarily made up of
80% cortisol!
This hormone assists the whole body in running smoothly and signals to the body that we need to increase [glucose (need for fight or flight)] (MedCram).
Someone who feels as if they’re high-strung or always on the go, go, go, and has an active mind and things to do, places to be, and things to achieve may display symptoms of overworked cells. The body never has time to recoup or gain momentum to go back to start and collect $200. Fatigue, work, and burnout are actual manifestations in healthy human beings.
We can hypothesize that the body stays in an active stress response roll, constantly pumping out cortisol.
According to a study by Xiao Ma (qtd. in Clow et al., 2010), cortisol is a steroid hormone of the glucocorticoid class, is released in response to stress. Cortisol release is associated with depression, anxiety, and other negative emotions. The underlying mechanism may be grounded in its sensitivity for the activity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, which regulates metabolism, immunity, and some mental processing, including memories and emotional appraisal (Ma, Xiao et al.).
When the body isn't in Homeostasis
If these glands aren't functioning properly, one disease that would reveal itself is Addison's Disease. This is where you have no adrenal glands working, and there's an increase in potassium that can not be released. An individual would display low sodium and glucose levels, leading to low blood pressure (MedCram).
Overfunctioning of the glands could result in Cushing's Syndrome: an increase in blood pressure and cortisol, making one hyperglycemic. Also, an increase in testosterone occurs, contributing to secondary male characteristics (MedCram).
"We do have some voluntary control over our breathing, and we can hold our breath for a short period of time before our brain over rides our control" (Hasudungan, A.).
There are two essential muscles used in respiration
(aside from accessory muscles like the Sternocleidomastoid && the scalene muscles)
(Hasudungan, A.).
One is our intercostal muscles, located between the ribs, and the other is our diaphragm, layered under the lungs (Hasudungan, A.).
Inhaling is considered inspiration, scientifically speaking, no, I did not make this up, and I love it, and exhaling is referred to as expiration.
Picture captured during Hasudungan's review of Mechanism of Breathing (08:35)I want to make a grand gesture to refer to Bordoni's article again, where it's mentioned that:
"the diaphragm can have multiple utilities to improve the symptomatic picture of chronic diseases. In chronic diseases, a decline in cognitive activity takes place [concomitantly (occurring with something else)] with an alteration of the respiratory function observed in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), fibromyalgia, chronic heart failure (CHF), and chronic low back pain (CLPB)."
A growing number of factual studies have revealed that diaphragmatic breathing may trigger body relaxation responses and benefit both physical and mental health (Ma, Xiao et al.).
I MUST use this study, which I found during my research, to provide you with a proper sample of what actual doctors and scientists have found while exploring the benefits of deep breathing.
I am not here to steal anyone's work; instead, I am here to display all the detailed effort that has gone into these articles and videos. I am grateful to have obtained and shared all this valuable information with someone like you!
Let's move on.
I have extracted this research from Xiao Ma's article on the ncib.nih.gov website, published by Frontiers in Psychology, "The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults." Ma writes:
"The present study aimed to investigate the effect of diaphragmatic breathing on cognition, affect, and cortisol responses to stress. Forty participants were randomly assigned to either a breathing intervention group (BIG) or a control group (CG). The BIG received intensive training for 20 sessions, implemented over 8 weeks, employing a real-time feedback device and an average respiratory rate of 4 breaths/min, while the CG did not receive this treatment. All participants completed pre- and post-tests of sustained attention and affect. Additionally, pre-test and post-test salivary cortisol concentrations were determined in both groups. The findings suggested that the BIG showed a significant decrease in negative affect after intervention, compared to baseline. In the diaphragmatic breathing condition, there was a significant interaction effect of group by time on sustained attention, whereby the BIG showed significantly increased sustained attention after training, compared to baseline. There was a significant interaction effect of group and time in the diaphragmatic breathing condition on cortisol levels, whereby the BIG had a significantly lower cortisol level after training, while the CG showed no significant change in cortisol levels. In conclusion, diaphragmatic breathing could improve sustained attention, affect, and cortisol levels. This study provided evidence demonstrating the effect of diaphragmatic breathing, a mind-body practice, on mental function, from a health psychology approach, which has important implications for health promotion in healthy individuals."
This article is just excellent, and I highly recommend checking it out!
Within that article Ma (qtd. in Stromberg et al., 2015) states that Psychological studies that have revealed breathing practice to be an effective non-pharmacological intervention for emotion enhancement.
Personally, I could go on and on about the numerous amounts of research I have found on this subject. But I won't because, holy cow! This reading could turn into a novel.
I was also thinking that breathwork may assist those who suffer from sleep apnea or narcolepsy. Forced breaths move a lot of fluid in the body, not only in the cells but also cranially. Reviewing the research provided, the practice of intentional/ forced breath has encouraged a positive adjustment within our being, healthy or ill. Please note that I am neither a doctor nor a licensed professional; I'm only here to provide evidence of success. As well as guiding you to reap the FREE benefits we were born with.
There is such a thing as a "Breathe Coach!"
Meet Mary Stockton. She is a Breathwork Facilitator who creates a sacred space that allows your breath to activate your body's energy (Stockton, M.).
She does one-on-one sessions
Phone/ Skype Sessions
&& Healing breathwork circles regularly
Recently, I watched a video in which Mary reviewed the six benefits of proper breathing. I don't believe the video is still available, but there are links provided in the text for you to speak with her individually.
She explained that breathwork enhances our circulatory system, keeps our hearts healthy, and eliminates 70% of toxins, allowing organs to perform optimally. Our parasympathetic nervous system is activated, and a shallow breath restricts carbon dioxide output, keeping toxins in the nooks and crannies of our body.
She revealed, "We achieve a sense of happiness and mental clarity."
In addition, it facilitates better sleep, not to mention better pain management!
There are so many options to explore when honing in on our existence. The most influential are utilizing our breath and getting back into our bodies.
You can join one of my Yoga-Asana classes, which incorporate both practices every time (in-person or Zoom classes).
We are all on our own journey. Peacefulness is achieved, explored, and manifested into reality. The thing is, each of our realities is always changing. So, we're all constantly trying to find new ways of adjusting to the present moment. We must choose and make space to be present. Right here, right now, you reading these words are a minuscule example of being in the present moment, this moment. You've only realized it because I've pointed it out to you. Following techniques like the one Mary's qualified to hone in on are moments we choose to be present.
I have listed other exceptional individuals on the About Me page who have guided and reminded me to be consciously aware. The keyword is remind because listen, there are times I'm like boop, in turn-off mode in my brain, watching Netflix nonstop.
When we receive the reminder, we are to consciously decide to be present and create space to manifest our desires. If you choose the latter, then so be it.
The first step is acknowledging that you can consciously decide where you want to direct your attention.
Shift, re-focus, and tune your being into each moment.
So keep that in mind, and go watch that new episode!
Love and Light, friends!
M.Quiñonez
Reference List:
Bordoni, Bruno et al. “The Influence of Breathing on the Central Nervous System.”Cureusvol. 10,6 e2724. 1 Jun. 2018, doi:10.7759/cureus.2724
Clow A., Hucklebridge F., Stalder T., Evans P., Thorn L. (2010).The cortisol awakening response: more than a measure of HPA axis function.Neurosci. Biobehavior. Rev.3597–103. 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2009.12.011
CrashCourse. “Autonomic Nervous System: Crash Course A&P #13.”
YouTube, 6 Apr. 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71pCilo8k4M.
Accessed 07 May. 2020.
CrashCourse. "Parasympathetic nervous System: Crash Course A&P #15."
YouTube, 20 Apr. 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqU-VjqjczE.
Accessed 07 May. 2020.
Hasudungan, Armando. "Mechanism of Breathing."
YouTube, 12 Aug. 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD-HPx_ZG8I.
Accessed 08 May. 2020.
Hasudungan, Armando. "Muscles Associated with the movement of breath."
YouTube, 08:35, 12 Aug. 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD-HPx_ZG8I.
Accessed 08 May. 2020.
Ma, Xiao et al. “The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults.”Frontiers in psychologyvol. 8 874. 6 Jun. 2017, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874
MedCram - Medical Lectures Explained CLEARLY. "Adrenal Gland (Adrenal Cortex) Anatomy, Physiology, Disorders, and hormones."
YouTube, 17 Jun. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1CFgCnr5Mw.
Accessed 07 May. 2020.
Neuroscientifically Challenged. "2-minute Neuroscience: Vagus Nerve (Cranial Nerve X)."
YouTube, 13 Aug. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-NCs1lOU5w.
Accessed 07 May. 2020.
Ninja Nerd Science. "Neurology | Autonomic Nervous System."
YouTube, 11 Nov. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dZHmKMLdC0.
Accessed 07 May. 2020.
Severinsen, Stig. “Master Your Nervous System.” Breatheology, 29 Apr. 2020, www.breatheology.com/delicate-nervous-system/.
Accessed 07 May. 2020.
Stockton, Mary. “Meet Mary.” Home, 2016, marysbreathjourneys.com/bio.
Accessed 08 May. 2020.
Stromberg S. E., Russell M. E., Carlson C. R. (2015).Diaphragmatic breathing and its effectiveness for the management of motion sickness.Aerosp. Med. Hum. Perform.86452–457. 10.3357/AMHP.4152.2015
“Sympathetic Nervous System.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, www.sciencedaily.com/terms/sympathetic_nervous_system.htm.
Accessed 06 May. 2020.
“Sympathetic Nervous System.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 15 Apr. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sympathetic_nervous_system.
Accessed 06 May. 2020.
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