Slow breathing

A self-help tool you can take anywhere

Image: The Epoch Times

Many contemplative traditions urge us to ‘come back to the breath.’  In the Anapanasati Sutta, the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing, the central text where the Buddha taught mindfulness of breathing, the Buddha says: “When breathing in a long breath, the practitioner is aware of breathing in a long breath,” and also “When breathing in a short breath, the practitioner is aware of breathing in a short breath.”  The Buddha is not recommending that we go for a particular breathing cadence.  Certainly not ‘go slow.’  However there is evidence that a slow breathing cycle can have positive results.

Breathing is the most straightforward way to influence the nervous system.  Rapid breathing encourages the Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to switch on and ready the body for an emergency.  Slow breathing encourages the Parasympathetic nervous system (PSN) to settle the body.  The SNS can be described as eliciting the fight/flight reflex.  The PNS facilitating rest and digest.  Returning to our theme we could understand the difference between SNS and PNS as respectively ‘go’ and ‘slow.’

Fast breathing triggers (via the SNS) higher anxiety and sensitivity to pain.

Slow breathing has been demonstrated in randomized controlled trials to reduce both heart rate and blood pressure.

There are different approaches to helping people to achieve a slow and steady rate of breathing.  A meta-analysis across 19 studies (including 745 people) of relative effectiveness highlighted these approaches: pursed lip breathing, biofeedback (of breathing rate), training in diaphragmatic breathing and singing.

Time to pause for a practical exercise.

·       Get ready to time 30 seconds, maybe on your phone.

·       Find your pulse (one or two fingers on the artery above your wrist)

·       Sit comfortably, with one hand across your torso, fingers resting on the opposite shoulder

·       Breathe in and out

·       Start the timer

·       Count your breaths (the in and out cycle) for 30 seconds

·       Now take your pulse – counting beats for another 30 seconds

·       Some maths – double both numbers to get your ‘breaths per minute’ and ‘heart beats per minute.’

Of course, resting heart rate varies between people, but the ‘normal’ range is 60-100.  Resting breathing rate is similarly variable, but again the ‘normal’ range is 12-20.  The inverted commas around normal are meant to signal that this is more an optimal level than what is often found.  Many of us live a life that is more ‘go,’ is ‘always on,’ so that even when sitting down our SNS is keeping our body hyped up and ready to fight or flee.

This exercise provides a check on two other aspects of ‘breathing hygiene:’

1.     Did you breathe through your nose? (‘yes’ = good)

2.     Did you breathe into your belly? (your arm across your torso would have registered chest movement) (‘belly’ = good)

As an aside, the linkage between rates of breathing and heart beating is around 1:4 – four beats per breath.  As your breathing slows, so too does your heart.

Now try another exercise.  The ‘7-11’ breathing approach invites you to breathe in for a count of 7 and out for 11. Why longer breathing out?  There is evidence that the long out-breath helps nudge the PNS into action (so the suggestion, from Tania Clifton-Smith of BradCliff Breathing Clinic: “when in doubt, breathe out.”)

·       Got your timer handy?

·       Try two minutes of 7-11 breathing

Now repeat the first exercise.  Did you see any difference?  Is 7-11 breathing worth trying regularly?

Slow breathing – a self-help tool you can take anywhere.  Don’t get too serious about your counting, keep in mind Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh’s suggestion: “Don’t forget to practice smiling. Your half-smile will bring calm and delight to your steps and your breath, and help sustain your attention.”