In practice, we see a lot of people that do not breathe correctly. When was the last time you thought about your breathing? It is obviously something that we normally do without paying it too much attention.
When in pain or under stress it is common for a “breathing pattern disorder” to gradually develop. This is when we use the upper chest and back muscles to help us breathe rather than the diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle that separates the chest and abdominal cavities. This breathing “tension pattern” can lead to muscle tightness accumulating around the neck and shoulders and can ultimately affect the pH of the blood, aggravating symptoms.
When breathing naturally your tummy should move out as you breathe in and return it as you breath out.
Your chest should stay relaxed and only move up if you inhale fully – at the top of a deep breath.
This way of breathing not only helps to keep your shoulders and neck more relaxed but also stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system. This is the “rest and digest” or calming and restorative part of your nervous system that helps down-regulate feelings of pain and tension.
