Office Location: 1817 S Main Street, Suite 10 SLC, UT 84115 | Phone 801 . 859 . 4142
Align Integration & Movement
  • Home
  • Work with Me
    • Request an Appointment
    • Rates & Insurance
    • Orthopedic & Pelvic Health Physical Therapy
    • Visceral Manipulation
    • Biofield Tuning®
    • Restore Room: Enhance your healing with Whole Body Vibration & The Vitalizer Chi Machine
    • NeuroKinetic Therapy™
    • Nutritious Movement™
    • Workshops
    • Testimonials
    • Resources
  • Blog
  • About Me
    • About Me
    • My Philosophy
  • Store
  • Podcast

Breathing Variations

7/17/2019

1 Comment

 
Breathing to restore Autonomic Regulation
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:
​
  • 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.
1 Comment
cv
7/20/2019 03:43:28 pm

Excellent follow-up to the previous post. I love all the options. Will have to give them a try sometime.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Susan McLaughlin,
    Physical Therapist

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    FEEL GOOD SERIES:
    Movement videos for download

    Picture

    Products I love:

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Props for home:

    Disclosure: I only recommend programs and products that I would use myself.  If you use these links to purchase something, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.  Thank you.  

    Categories

    All
    Alignment
    Back Pain
    Breathing
    Chronic Pain
    Core Stabilization
    Fascial Health
    Foot Health
    Healing The Nervous System
    Hip Pain
    Knee Pain
    Lower Extremity
    Neck And Upper Extremity
    Pelvic Health
    Postpartum Healing
    Pregnancy
    Psoas Release
    Self Care
    Shoulder Girdle
    Shoulder Pain
    Si Joint Pain
    Spine
    Thoracic Mobility
    Transversus Abdominis
    Treatment For Si Dysfunction
    Walking
    Wrist

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    November 2022
    May 2022
    November 2021
    April 2021
    December 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

Office:  1817 S Main Street, Suite 10 | SLC, UT 84115
Located in the Forrester Office Complex


ALIGN integration | movement, PLLC.  All rights reserved.
@2012-2023
​Medical Disclaimer        Privacy Policy & Terms of Use
Good Faith Estimate
​

Contact:  Susan McLaughlin, PT 801.859.4142
susan@alignforhealth.com