A New (Old) Way to Breathe
Deep breathing – what parents can learn from our babies
Us new parents know about stress. We've already worked hard up to this point, and now we're in charge of our lifeblood, our lineage. On our own, for the most part. No pressure, then!
It turns out, though, that our little ones might have the answer to stress, and they don't even realise it.
Next time dear son or daughter is at rest, just take a look at how they breathe. In and out, yes, just like us. But that's not the whole story.
See how the lower part of their torso rises and falls with each breath? Does yours? Doubtful. That's because, as adults, we've learned – and been conditioned – to take our breaths through the upper half, and the upper half alone.
Breathing is one of the very few functions of our bodies that can be both voluntary and involuntary. If you've ever seen someone stricken by a panic attack, you'll know the impact stress can (involuntarily) have on someone's breathing. That emergency-mode tension in the neck. That shuddering through the shoulders. The short, sharp breaths. That's shallow, or thoracic breathing in action. And it clearly isn't good for us.
Back to our baby's breaths. Tiny as they are, they're a perfect example of diaphragmatic breathing, and a perfect lesson to all us stressed-out parents.
The Benefits of Diaphragmatic Breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing. It might be a bit of a mouthful to say, but it might just be the ideal tool to take back control when stress overloads us. It's a natural countermeasure to anxiety: that fight-or-flight response we've all felt before.
It's also totally analogue, take-anywhere and free.
Think about it. That meditation app you have on your smartphone? Isn't that the same device where all your work emails live? And your bank balance? And your Insta feed? Yes, you can turn your notifications off, but what about that dreaded battery life?
Diaphragmatic breathing, on the other hand, comes with a free lifetime membership. No equipment required. It's a mindfulness course, a workplace wellbeing session and a self-care app all rolled into one.
And the benefits of diaphragmatic breathing? Try these on for size:
A great stress-reliever and nerve-soother
Improved concentration and focus
Reduced muscle tension, heart rate and blood pressure
Increased energy
Better posture
A stronger pelvic floor.
How to Practice Diaphragmatic Breathing at Home
So how do you do it? Here's a quick how-to guide:
While sitting or lying, place both hands side-by-side below your belly button.
Take a long, deep breath in through your nose and feel your hands rise up as your belly and rib-cage expand.
Breathe out slowly through your nose and feel your hands return to their starting position.
Repeat for 5-10 minutes.
Turns out us parents have much to learn from our babies, after all!
For more on diaphragmatic breathing and its role in improving wellbeing, have a look at this handy guide by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital.
Learning to breathe again is a big part of our meditation, Chiqung and yoga classes at the Sanctuary. Why not give one of them a try?