It’s not just inspiration – careful breathing can help your health
Article on Heart.org By Michael Merschel, American Heart Association News
By Michael Merschel, American Heart Association News
Published: July 7, 2023 – Please note: This article was published more than two years ago, so some information may be outdated. If you have questions about your health, always contact a health care professional.
Odds are, if you are reading this, you know something about breathing. You’re probably doing it right now.
It’s an essential act that requires no thought. But thinking about it can alter your physical and mental health.
That’s because breathing isn’t just about the lungs, said Daniel Craighead, an assistant research professor in the department of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado Boulder. It affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems and more. Changing how much we inhale affects more than just the amount of oxygen we get. “When we breathe, that actually impacts how much blood is ejected from our hearts.”
Breathing happens regardless of whether we pay attention, said Dr. Ni-Cheng Liang, an integrative pulmonologist in private practice in Encinitas, California. “But what’s a bit more miraculous about breathing is that, contrary to a lot of other bodily functions, we can also control our breathing.”
To understand how that can be healthy, it helps to start with knowing how breathing both affects and is affected by the nervous system.
Breathing and heart rate are regulated by the same parts of the brain, and each “talks” to the other to work in sync. When we inhale, our lungs expand, and pressure on the heart and blood vessels changes. That stimulates sensory nerves that, in return, affect how hard we breathe.
When we encounter a threat – such as an attacking tiger or an angry boss – it triggers the “fight or flight” response. “Along with that comes the increase in heart rate, the increase in sweaty palms and the increase in muscle tension,” said Liang, who also is a voluntary assistant professor at the University of California San Diego and a mindfulness teacher. We breathe faster, and blood rushes to the muscles as the body braces for action.
That’s the work of the sympathetic nervous system.
