The Beauty and Benefits of a Diaphragmatic Breath
If you’ve been keeping up with my September emails, you probably noticed that I am all about exploring myriad ways to use mindfulness techniques to dissolve stress. I love that we can reduce stress with gratitude and compassion practices or by working with guided meditations that help rewire limiting self-beliefs. I love that object meditations, breathing techniques, body scans and yoga nidra also help us relax, not to mention mindful movement like nature walks and yoga. And don’t forget interoception - the skill of paying attention to the sensations in your body. The list is long!
But maybe what I love most is the simplicity of a diaphragmatic breath.
Although, simplicity may not be quite the right word given the amazing journey of the diaphragm and the ripple effect it has on ALL of the systems of the body.
So maybe what I really mean is the elegance of a diaphragmatic breath.
Try to imagine your diaphragm, a muscle looking much like a jellyfish, nestled under the rib cage at the base of the lungs, separating your chest cavity from your abdominal cavity. When it’s properly engaged, it contracts on the inhale and drops down, increasing the volume of the chest cavity so that more air can enter the lungs. At the same time, the action of the diaphragm dropping down compresses the abdominal cavity. This puts gentle pressure on the muscles of the pelvic floor which encourages them to lengthen and relax. On the exhale, the lungs empty out and the diaphragm relaxes, rising back up into that sweet spot between the lungs and the belly. Without that downward pressure, the pelvic floor also rises back up, gently contracting and toning. Picture the fluidity of that rise and fall, the two moving in perfect rhythm. Personally, I like to imagine a slow salsa but feel few to dream up a waltz or a tango if that’s more your style.
Take a pause for a few expansive breaths and feel into the dance between your diaphragm and your pelvic floor? When they’re in sync, it’s a match made in heaven. It creates a feedback loop between the diaphragm, pelvic floor and vagus nerve, leading to deep relaxation. But when they’re out of sync, bumping into each other and stepping on one another's toes, it can get awkward, leading to a host of unpleasant repercussions. So let’s talk a bit about this interplay and what we gain from finding our rhythm.
A diaphragmatic breath stimulates the vagus nerve, improves heart rate variability and activates the parasympathetic nervous system. In other words, it turns off your fight/flight/freeze response and turns on your relaxation response.
A diaphragmatic breath that moves in sync with the pelvic floor both relaxes and strengthens the pelvic floor muscles which leads to better stability, support and balance and less tension and pain in the pelvis (not to mention fewer leaks when you laugh, jump or cough too hard - seriously, it’s not too late to get back on the trampoline people).
A diaphragm and pelvic floor that breathe together create stability and support and give you access to more strength and power than either could offer on their own (think inversions and arm balances or more ease getting up steep steps or mountain sides).
And that’s just my top 3!
So don’t underestimate the power of an in breath that expands the belly, low back and sides (that’s right, the whole circumference of the low abdomen) and gently encourages the whole of the pelvic floor to relax. Nor should you underestimate the power of an out breath that tones both the belly and the pelvic floor while building stores of relaxation and sending a message of safety to the brain, signaling it to let its guard down so that you can enjoy the moment.
This kind of breathing has huge implications for how we feel moment to moment!
If you’d like to learn more about how to tap into the power of a diaphragmatic breath through breath, yoga and guided meditation, join me this Saturday from 9-11am (MST) for a live zoom workshop:
The Diaphragm and the Pelvic Floor: a Match Made in Heaven
***Your Yoga members and Your Brain on Mindfulness students get 25% off
***All levels welcome