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play dynamics for awareness of breathing as behaviour
Breathing mechanics are typically acrobatic during life’s
daily challenges, which often include continuous and unabated conversation,
laced with emotion, thoughts, and attitudes.
While talking breathing may be jerky or even, aborted or extended,
fast or slow, oral or nasal…..utterly dysrhythmic, but nevertheless, these
mechanics must be subordinated to brainstem reflex mechanisms, that
coordinate rate and depth for healthy chemoregulation. Many of us have, unfortunately, disconnected from the
experience of our bodies. This
disconnection often shows up in our breathing, where “controlled breathing”
serves to provide us with a false sense of security, breathing that involves
the unnecessary use of accessory muscles.
The consequence is often the preempting of brainstem respiratory
reflexes, leading us away from confidence and trust in our bodies, and in our
breathing physiology. Mechanics play
builds trust and confidence in breathing mechanics and allowing for the
reinstatement of basic chemo-regulatory reflexes. Mechanics play typically includes (a) diaphragmatic and chest
breathing, (b) exhalation and inhalation, and (c) breathing rate and
depth. Learning good breathing means
awareness learning of both functional and dysfunctional mechanics, good and
bad breathing behaviour. It means utilising the principle of negative practice where one learns to
intentionally engage dysfunctional breathing, as well as functional
breathing. Fear of bad dysfunctional
breathing and its symptoms must be overcome.
If you can breathe either way by choice, and are aware of their defining
sensations and consequences, you are more likely to regulate even in the most
challenging of circumstances. Mechanics
play means learning to: ● make diaphragmatic breathing your dominant form of breathing, ● allow the exhale to occur on its own accord, without
assistance from other muscles, ● allow for transition time between the exhale and the inhale, ● experience brainstem respiratory reflexes during transition time, ● breathe quietly, making the inhale as small as possible while
still being comfortable, ● maintain the proper range of PCO2 levels while
doing so. Key to
learning good mechanics is experiencing, identifying, and becoming
comfortable with the brainstem reflex for inhalation, which regulates
breathing based on PCO2, pH, and O2 in addition to a
host of other reflex factors. Copyrighted by Behavioral
Physiology Institute, |