Breathing is a subconscious action we do 25,000 times a day when at rest. It provides our body with oxygen as well as regulates our central nervous system to perform optimally. However, it is often over looked as an important component of both health and performance. Optimising our breathing mechanics and understanding the effect this has on stress and recovery will put you back in control of your performance on and off the field.
PARA-SYMPATHETIC AND SYMPATHETIC SYSTEMS
Breathing has a big impact on both our para-sympathetic and sympathetic system. The para-sympathetic system is often referred to as our rest and digest system. It is a system that promotes recovery, optimises our digestion, reduces blood pressure and reduces central nervous system sensitivity. In this system our brain is operating in a non threatening state and feels safe. The sympathetic system, however, is different and is often referred to as our fight or flight system. It is a system where our blood pressure rises and we produce more stress hormones to keep us alert and it prepares us for action. Our brain is highly atuned in this system as it needs to react quickly and efficiently.
We need both systems to ebb and flow though out the day because there are moments that require us to be alert and responsive, and moments when we need to rest and recover. However, in today’s busy society we are exposed to longer working hours, greater financial stress, and social media pressure, which can lead to us spending a large proportion of our day in our sympathetic system. Add a solid week of training in to the equation and we can find that we have little time to switch off and truly rest and recover. Being mindful of our breathing is a great way of counterbalancing this level of stress.
HOW DOES BREATHING AFFECT THESE SYSTEMS?
Stress causes faster shallower breathing, resulting in greater levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) being expelled. This can lead to an imbalance of oxygen and CO2 in our body. Oxygen is obviously essential for keeping us alive, however, CO2 plays an important role in controlling our nerves and helps to bind oxygen to our red blood cells. Have you ever wondered why someone would breathe into a paper bag when having a panic attack? They are essentially recycling the exhaled CO2 by inhaling it back into their respiratory system. We can achieve the same results by practising our diaphragmatic breathing. Breathing in and out through our nose will instantly slow our breathing rate down. By increasing the duration of our inhale and matching that same duration on the exhale we will create a better balance of oxygen and CO2 in our body and further promote calmness. This is a great technique to apply in stressful situations during the day, and is a valuable tool to use after a big hill climb on the bike or running, to help recover for the next hill.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Stress is an important part of performance and we need a certain amount of stress to perform in our daily life. It is worth mentioning though that stress from exercise versus stress from work, family and life has the same physiological effect on the body. Even though exercise feels great and has many health benefits associated with it, it can also tip us over the edge if we are over training and over working. Being mindful of our breathing during the day will promote recovery and allow us to reset. Be sure to put aside at least 10 minutes each day to lie on the floor and practise your breathing. I finish every routine on the Movement Series with a dedicated breathing exercise, so check these routines for more details on these techniques. Breathing is also a fundamental aspect of core stability. For more information please read my article on Core Stability.