I’ve always been a straight-A
student, which is why it was
totally def lating when I got a
D (a D!) on the most basic of
assignments: breathing. After
monitoring my inhalations and
exhalations, Belisa Vranich, a
clinical psychologist and author
of Breathe, gave me my near-
failing grade on this very basic
bodily function, with just one
small consolation: 9 out of 10
people are just as bad at it as
I am. It turns out that most
adults are shoulder breathers;
when we inhale, our shoulders
rise, engaging the upper back
muscles. This type of vertical
breathing only makes space for
air in the narrowest, tippy-
top part of the lungs, explains
Vranich. It’s the exact opposite
of how the body was designed
to breathe... and such shallow
breaths actually send dangersignals to the nervous system,
spiking stress hormones.
The result: ‘Your heart rate
and blood pressure go up, and
your immune system goes
down,’ says Vranich. Yep, even
if you’re in the middle of a nice
massage or just sitting on the
couch, watching the hilarious
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
You may be laughing, but your
body thinks you’re stressed out.
The trouble starts in primary
school. Most very young kids
are horizontal breathers, says
Vranich. When they inhale, it
looks like there’s a balloon in
their bellies – air enters and
expands the biggest part of
their lungs. But once in the
classroom, they pick up the
bad posture that comes with
sitting all day. And slumping
crushes your diaphragm muscle
and blocks the lower lungs
from expanding.
Cultural cues make things
worse. We’ve been conditioned
to accept that a shoulder raisecan be the best way to take in
air (doctors put a stethoscope
on our chests and say ‘deep
breath’; allergy advertisements
feature actors puffing up like
Superman to signal opened
airways). And then there’s the
pressure to have a f lat stomach.
Stick out my middle each time I
breathe? Never!
A healthier response is
always. Deeper belly-breathing
will make you feel calmer and
happier. ‘When you breathe
horizontally, your vagus nerve- it starts at the back of your
head and runs all the way
through your body – tells your
brain to go into rest-and-digest
mode,’ says Vranich. Meaning,
you’ll feel less tense, sleep way
better, have less stomach drama
and also fortify your immune
system. I, for one, am breathing
easier already.
3 WAYS TO^
CHILL, STAT
Next time you find yourself
in the midst of mental turmoil,
practise one of these specific
breathing exercises from Dr
Andrew Weil, founder and
program director of Arizona
Center for Integrative Medicine
in the US.WHEN YOU’RE ANGRY...
TRY BREATH COUNTINGClose eyes and take a few deep,
natural breaths, counting from
one as you exhale each time,
up to five. Continue for up to
10 minutes.WHEN YOU’RE TOSSING
AND TURNING...
TRY THE 4-7-8 BREATHHold the tip of your tongue
against the ridge of tissue just
behind your upper front teeth.
Exhale completely through
your mouth, making a whoosh
sound. Close your mouth and
inhale through your nose as
you count to four. Hold your
breath for a count of seven.
Exhale through your mouth,
making a whoosh sound again
for a count of eight. Repeat
the cycle three more times.WHEN YOU’RE NERVOUS...
TRY THE 4-8 BREATHSkip the seven-count hold
here. With mouth closed and
the tip of your tongue against
the ridge of tissue just behind
your upper front teeth, inhale
slowly through your nose to
a count of four. Exhale slowly
and completely through the
mouth with a whoosh sound,
to a count of eight. Repeat
three times. #Chest puffs up
and out, and upper
back arches.Shoulders
tense and
move toward
ears.Belly
moves in
as rib cage
narrows
and abs
tighten.The Wrong Way The Right Way
TO INHALE TO INHALE
Neck, chest
and shoulders
do not move
or engage in
any way.Belly
expands to
the front,
sides, and
back. Lower back arches
slightly so that the
butt pops out a bit.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARINA ESMERALDO. STOCKSY
COSMOPOLITAN June 2017 65
VS
body