Breathing Variations

A healthy autonomic nervous system (ANS) is fluid, bouncing between the green and yellow zone.

In my last post I talked about the Autonomic Nervous System using the analogy from the Polyvagal Theory of a traffic light:
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• Green is the safety zone: our social engagement system.  our heart rate slows, digestion activates, facial muscles are responsive,  eyes are soft and able to make contact, hearing is turned on.
• Yellow is the danger zone:  our heart rate increases, pain increases, muscles are mobilized for movement, flat facial affect, the middle ear is turned off in order to hear lower threat tones.
• Red is the life threat zone: our system goes into freeze/immobilization.  This zone leads to metabolic shut down.

Breath is the one thing we can do to mediate the ANS

One of the first tools I go over with clients is to reeducate proper breathing mechanics.  Most of the clients that I work with have pain or are wanting assistance to heal from leaking urine, prolapse or abdominal wall separation.  Getting movement in the core system and regulating the nervous system are top priority for healing, therefore, breathing is the bridge between the range of motion of the core team AND the ANS.  For most of us, breathing is unconscious, and we have developed strategies to just get by, such as shallow breathing, open mouth breathing, shoulder and neck breathing, etc.  In order to heal, we need to get out of a habitual pattern, change the loads, get better oxygen and carbon dioxide balance in order for the blood to deliver the oxygen molecule to the tissues.

Optimal Breathing Pattern.  The importance of CO2 as well as O2

Breathing variations to mediate the ANS: Coming back to the safety zone or green light

• Canister Breathing: Movement of the muscles in the breath cycle during quiet breathing: diaphragm, abdominal wall, pelvic floor and ribcage all move proportionally together.
• Balanced Breathing: This breath is great to bring the system into coherence and presence.  Inhale and exhale are even.  Example: inhale is 4 seconds, exhale is 4 seconds.
• Silent Breathing: This breath is great to do to distract the brain from breathing and give the system a different task: pay attention to the silence rather than the breath.   I give this to clients  who try to "Make" the breathing happen and are doing a lot of "Efforting" and excess to get the abdominal wall to move in 3D.  The quiet helps the system respond more efficiently.  Plug ears so you can't hear inside your head.  Adjust your breathing so you don't hear the breath in/out.
• Slower Rate and Longer Exhales: This breath allows your system drop into a relaxation response. Slow your breathing rate and let your exhale go as long as you can (make sure you don't force your breath out and push; be gentle).
• Using sound to enhance the relaxation response:  Let your vocal cords open (typically vocal folds are more open in the lower tone range) as you resonate your sound on the exhale into your lower abdomen and pelvic bowl (many women will do this innately during labor to open the pelvic bowel and the pelvic floor).  I like to use: "voo" as demonstrated in the video, or you could use "Ahh" or "OM".  This method is particularly helpful for high muscle tone in pelvic pain.

Susan McLaughlin is a physical therapist who specializes in the management of pelvic floor and orthopedic dysfunctions. She is the owner of ALIGN integration|movement in Salt Lake City, UT.  Helpful tips and other self care strategies can be found at www.alignforhealth.com.