How to Breathe
Breathing is an essential component to this method. You may have, as Elaine did, the idea that breathing is something that comes naturally, that you don’t really have to do anything about it. Of course, to some extent that’s true. But it is also true that breathing is greatly inhibited by excess muscle tension. Like many people, if you are experiencing other kinds of stress, including back pain, you are probably holding your breath. Shallow breathing is very common; correcting your breathing is the first step to pain relief.
First ask yourself: Are you breathing? It may sound like an odd question, but take a moment to answer it. Don’t force yourself to breathe; just think about how you are doing it. How would you describe it? Do you breathe with ease? Does it seem to fill your chest and back? Is your exhalation as long as your inhalation? At various times throughout the day, think about whether you are holding your breath. Most of us do.
Just the act of rushing from place to place makes us begin to hold our breath during the day. You don’t even have to be doing something taxing. It could be that you have a lot of fun things planned for the day: the kid’s piano recital, people over for dinner, a movie. Most of us try to pack a lot into one day. The physical reaction to just the sheer quantity of tasks we have to fulfill each day is to breathe with our upper chests. The diaphragm, which is a muscle responsible for pulling air deeper into the lungs, gets weak and flabby, like any other underutilized muscle. As a result, muscles throughout the body do not receive the oxygen they need in order to remain flexible and unstressed. This is especially true of neck and shoulder pain, which can often be lessened with breath work alone.
Don’t concentrate on forcing yourself to breathe all day. The goal is to get you breathing naturally form your diaphragm. Your diaphragm is a muscle that sits flat across your body just below your lungs. (I think of it as the skin of a drum, stretching around your ribcage.) A stronger diaphragm will have an easier time pulling air into your lungs and will prevent you from holding your breath. That, in concert with giving in to the weight of your body, will enable you to inhale and exhale fully – maybe for the first time in many years. After some practice, you will notice that breathing properly is easier, and that after awhile it has become second nature to you. Your muscles will be able to relax, which in turn will allow you to breathe even more freely. This is how you begin to reverse your cycle of pain.
You can do these exercises anywhere. If the exercises seem too strange or too time consuming, try them for just five minutes. Then try it again for five minutes the next day. You may be surprised to find how much more energy you have and how much it reduces your anxiety. As you become more comfortable with the exercises, gradually increase the time you send practicing them. Fifteen to twenty minutes a day is ideal, but don’t feel you have to focus only on breathing. Do breath work along with the Seated Body Hang Over or while lying on the ball – just be sure to include it in your practice.
Elaine Petrone – The Miracle Ball Method
Do You Fully Exhale?
Most people inhale much more fully than they exhale, which can elevate the amount of oxygen in your body. Even just a
little extra oxygen can explain episodes of dizziness, blurry vision, or light-headedness...
This mild state of hyperventilation is much more common than most people realize. Exhaling fully was the solution that
worked for Elaine. If you do experience any of these symptoms, however, please check them out with your doctor to rule
out anything more serious.
YAWNING
· Yawning is a common reaction to making the “S” Sound.
· Do not resist yawning. It is an excellent physical reaction.
· When you yawn, your lungs fill with air and your abdominal muscles flex, causing the diaphragm to spasm and pull
more air into your lungs.
· It’s a corrective measure that your body is doing in order to bring in the oxygen it needs.
· It probably means that you do hold your breath often and your body is doing a wonderful thing by taking care of you.
First ask yourself: Are you breathing? It may sound like an odd question, but take a moment to answer it. Don’t force yourself to breathe; just think about how you are doing it. How would you describe it? Do you breathe with ease? Does it seem to fill your chest and back? Is your exhalation as long as your inhalation? At various times throughout the day, think about whether you are holding your breath. Most of us do.
Just the act of rushing from place to place makes us begin to hold our breath during the day. You don’t even have to be doing something taxing. It could be that you have a lot of fun things planned for the day: the kid’s piano recital, people over for dinner, a movie. Most of us try to pack a lot into one day. The physical reaction to just the sheer quantity of tasks we have to fulfill each day is to breathe with our upper chests. The diaphragm, which is a muscle responsible for pulling air deeper into the lungs, gets weak and flabby, like any other underutilized muscle. As a result, muscles throughout the body do not receive the oxygen they need in order to remain flexible and unstressed. This is especially true of neck and shoulder pain, which can often be lessened with breath work alone.
Don’t concentrate on forcing yourself to breathe all day. The goal is to get you breathing naturally form your diaphragm. Your diaphragm is a muscle that sits flat across your body just below your lungs. (I think of it as the skin of a drum, stretching around your ribcage.) A stronger diaphragm will have an easier time pulling air into your lungs and will prevent you from holding your breath. That, in concert with giving in to the weight of your body, will enable you to inhale and exhale fully – maybe for the first time in many years. After some practice, you will notice that breathing properly is easier, and that after awhile it has become second nature to you. Your muscles will be able to relax, which in turn will allow you to breathe even more freely. This is how you begin to reverse your cycle of pain.
You can do these exercises anywhere. If the exercises seem too strange or too time consuming, try them for just five minutes. Then try it again for five minutes the next day. You may be surprised to find how much more energy you have and how much it reduces your anxiety. As you become more comfortable with the exercises, gradually increase the time you send practicing them. Fifteen to twenty minutes a day is ideal, but don’t feel you have to focus only on breathing. Do breath work along with the Seated Body Hang Over or while lying on the ball – just be sure to include it in your practice.
Elaine Petrone – The Miracle Ball Method
Do You Fully Exhale?
Most people inhale much more fully than they exhale, which can elevate the amount of oxygen in your body. Even just a
little extra oxygen can explain episodes of dizziness, blurry vision, or light-headedness...
This mild state of hyperventilation is much more common than most people realize. Exhaling fully was the solution that
worked for Elaine. If you do experience any of these symptoms, however, please check them out with your doctor to rule
out anything more serious.
YAWNING
· Yawning is a common reaction to making the “S” Sound.
· Do not resist yawning. It is an excellent physical reaction.
· When you yawn, your lungs fill with air and your abdominal muscles flex, causing the diaphragm to spasm and pull
more air into your lungs.
· It’s a corrective measure that your body is doing in order to bring in the oxygen it needs.
· It probably means that you do hold your breath often and your body is doing a wonderful thing by taking care of you.