Your posture and it's harmful effects on productivity

So yesterday, we mentioned that the diaphragm was your main breathing muscle. It does not act alone. There are many other muscles that assist in the breathing process. More importantly, when these muscles are compromised through stress, strain or poor posture, they can impair our ability to breathe and limit the benefits of our breath.

You know where you are tight, areas in your neck and back that your carry your stress. Have you ever thought that besides being annoying and painful this tension that you carry around could be having effects on your ability to breathe and get oxygen to your body? It's true. Lack of oxygen can produce fatigue, brain fog, and inability to remember details. It's often why when people start stretching, doing yoga, getting massage or seeing a chiropractor that they report increased energy as one of the first benefits they notice. All because they are getting more oxygen in their bodies!

Muscles in the neck help to lift the rib cage allowing for expansion that is necessary to bring oxygen into the body to feed your muscles, digestive organs and most importantly your brain. When the muscles in your neck are tight (you know that block of concrete that is sitting on your shoulder....) they can't lift the rib cage the way they are supposed to and you are not able to get the oxygen into your body that you need.

Muscles in your back allow for the ribcage to expand out and back also contributing to a full breath. It is very common to have tight muscles in the back, especially between the shoulder blades. When these muscles are tight we tend to depend on the muscles in our neck to lift the rib cage. Watch yourself breathe in the mirror...do your shoulders lift as you inhale? If your shoulders are doing most of the work, the muscles in your back are probably tight, restricting expansion through the back of the ribcage.

These tight muscles also create poor posture. Poor posture impairs your ability to breath. As muscles in the front of your neck gets tight they pull your head forward, making it difficult to pull the clavicle and ribcage up for full lung expansion.

Sitting at a computer, desk or driving for long periods of time shorten the muscles in the chest. These shortened muscles compress the ribcage and pull the shoulders in and forward. It's like having a weight on your chest all day long. You wouldn't put a bag of rocks on your chest and expect to breath, but that is exactly what poor posture can do.

Using the breathing techniques we've talked about the last couple of days can help relax tight muscles. Improving posture and your productivity. Tomorrow will be our last post on breathing (for now...) we'll talk about how to improve your breath and posture through simple self-care techniques. Until then, you know what to do...just keep breathing :)

What your breath is trying to tell you

Hopefully, you've been trying to use one of the breathing techniques that we posted on Monday. Okay, so your breathing, now what? Your breath can tell you a lot about where you are at and what you need. As you take time for focused breathing 5 minutes each day, using even breath, focused exhale breathing or restrained breath; also use this time to check in with your body to listen to the messages it is sending.

Go ahead....take 5 or 6 deep breaths in and out, in and out. What do you feel?Does your breath feel tight and constricted? Do you feel pain anywhere? Can you get a full breath in? Does your mind race to all the other things you "should" be doing? Just observe what you are feeling, don't judge it, it is information nothing more. It is not good or bad, just communication from your body about what you need.

Let's look at some areas of focus while breathing and then what you can do about the messages your body is telling you.

1. Thoracic expansion - This is the expansion you feel in your ribcage as you breath. As you inhale, focus on feeling the front, back and both sides of your rib cage expand. This can be hard, most of us want to lift our shoulders up to gain expansion. Keep the shoulders relaxed and focus on expanding the rib cage as much as you can in all directions.
2. Abdominal breathing - The diaphragm is your main breathing muscle. Imagine a drum head, separating the ribcage from your digestive organs. As you inhale and expand the rib cage, the diaphragm drops down, gently pushing on the digestive organs. (This is why it is hard to breath after a big meal!!) If you are a chest breather, meaning only your chest and shoulders move when you are breathing, lie on your back with a pillow or small book on your abdomen. As you breathe, watch the object move up as you inhale and down as you exhale. Combine abdominal breathing with thoracic expansion to get the most from your breath

Alright, so you are expanding your rib cage, your abdomen is gently moving out and in with each inhale and exhale. Now, close your eyes and scan your body.

Keep breathing as you check in with your feet, your legs, hips.

What feels tight? Does your inhale increase tension?

Do you feel the tension release on an exhale?

Move into the belly and low back?

Does it feel "stuck" anywhere?

Move into your chest and shoulders?

How about your upper back and neck?

Pay attention to those areas that feel tight or stuck. Sometimes focused breathing can bring up emotions. Sometimes we get frustrated, angry or sad and we don't know why. Focused breathing can help to clarify what it is truly bothering us.

Breathing is also a great way to relieve tension and pain. As you notice areas that are stuck, hold your attention there as you breathe. Feel tension increase slightly as you inhale and feel the tension melt as you exhale. It make take 8-10 breaths or more to feel an area relax so stick with it.

This is also a great breathing exercise to do before you go to bed. Lying in bed, connect with your breath and scan your body from any tension you are holding. Release it and your on your way to a night of deep, restful sleep.

Set time aside in your day to breathe for 5 minutes. Intentional breathing can improve energy levels, brain fog, mental fatigue, digestion and your ability to manage stress. You could take 5 minutes in your car before or after work, at the end of your lunch break, just after waking or just before bed. It doesn't matter when or where, all that matters is that you make time to do it. Breath and watch how it improves your life.

Tomorrow we'll look at the muscles involved with breathing and Friday how to improve your posture and breath through simple self-care techniques. In the meantime...just keep breathing :)

The art of breathing; techniques and benefits to improve your day

You do it all the time. In, out, in, out....without even thinking about it. A bit of attention to your breath can make a big difference in your day. Let's look at 3 breathing techniques and then talk about it's benefits.

1. Even breath - Sitting comfortably, breathe in through your nose for a count of 5 seconds, breathe out through your mouth for a count of 5 seconds. Your breath may be longer or shorter, the important part is to breathe in and out for the same amount of time.
2. Focused exhale breathing - Same as the even breath, sit comfortably, breathe in through your nose for 5 seconds, this time breathe out for a count of 7. Again, your may breathe for more or less time, the important part here is to breathe out for 2-3 counts longer than your in breath.
3. Restrained breath - Sitting comfortably, breathe in for 5 counts, hold your breath for 2 counts and exhale out for 5, hold your breath for 2 and repeat. Inhale, hold, exhale, hold. Adjust your inhale, hold and exhale time so that it is comfortable for you.

Benefits of breathing:

• Increases oxygen levels in the body
• Improves brain function
• Improves your ability to focus
• Improves your ability to manage stress
• Decreases stress
• Increases energy
• Improves digestion

Challenge yourself to set aside 5 minutes a day to just breathe. You will be amazed at the results.