Weekly Newsletter:

April 23, 2025

Take a deep breath!!!

“Take a breather…"

“Breathe a sigh of relief”

Sometimes we forget that when we're feeling stressed or overwhelmed, our breath is a powerful tool for self-regulation.

Breathing is a necessity of life that usually occurs without much thought. When we breathe in, blood cells receive oxygen and release carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a waste product that's carried back through your body and exhaled.

Improper breathing can upset the oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange and contribute to anxiety, panic attacks, fatigue, and other physical and emotional disturbances.

The next time you’re feeling anxious, there are a variety of anxiety breathing exercises to try. Learn how to use breathing exercises to help relieve feelings of anxiety and stress. Here’s a 48-second YouTube video to inspire you:

Meanwhile... Check out these links for more information about breathing:

• Why Breathing Is Easier In An Upright Position | Explained

Or read my “down-to-basics” version of the story:  

 In a nutshell…

Your lungs have no muscles.  

So how do they work?

How do you take a deep breath, anyway?

Well, there is one main breathing “muscle,” and that’s your diaphragm.

It’s sort of like a big bellow that sits just above your belly.

When you are between breaths, that is, after you exhale, your diaphragm is relaxed, and it is like a dome —just under and attached to your lungs. Unbeknownst to you, the human breather, the diaphragm then contracts, which pulls the lungs down, causing air to be sucked into your lungs! The diaphragm continues to expand and contract without our intention or attention. Somewhat similar to the heart muscles, which we don’t have to think about.  

But we CAN control our breath to some extent. But, if you try to hold your breath, eventually your body will force you to take another breath.

At the same time, we can slow down or speed up our breath. We can take larger or smaller breaths. We do have some control…

“The diaphragm is the main muscle of respiration and functions in breathing. During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts and moves in the inferior direction, enlarging the volume of the thoracic cavity and reducing intrathoracic pressure (the external intercostal muscles also participate in this enlargement), forcing the lungs to expand. In other words, the diaphragm's movement downwards creates a partial vacuum in the thoracic cavity, which forces the lungs to expand to fill the void, drawing air in the process.” 

And you inhale! 

By sitting up straight, you can make more space for your diaphragm to contract and draw air into your lungs. (More on this important subject, later.)

Meanwhile there is one other group of muscles that are “deeply” involved—the muscles between the ribs (intercostal muscles) — But in addition there are something called accessory muscles of breathing that come into play during increased physical exercise or physical distress (like asthma, pneumonia, or COPD). 

Importantly: Significance in Strength Training and Posture

“The adoption of a deeper breathing pattern typically occurs during physical exercise in order to facilitate greater oxygen absorption. During this process the diaphragm more consistently adopts a lower position within the body's core. 

In addition to its primary role in breathing, the diaphragm also plays a secondary role in strengthening the posture of the core. 

This is especially evident during deep breathing, where its generally lower position increases intra-abdominal pressure, which serves to strengthen the lumbar spine.”

• How It Works: The Diaphragm

Now perhaps you have a better understanding of why bad posture can negatively affect breathing. 

The Relationship between Bad Posture and Breathing:

• Poor posture puts unnecessary strain on the respiratory system.
• It can lead to shallow breathing, shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, and headaches.
• A compressed thoracic region limits lung capacity.
• Restricted diaphragm mobility disrupts breathing mechanics.
• Good posture is necessary for proper breath management.

Some helpful photos to help make the point:

This Is What Happens To Your Body When You Slouch Every Day:

Slouching can cause breathing problems by constricting the muscles in your chest and abdomen, which can cause you to take more shallow breaths. When you are slouched, your diaphragm cannot easily descend, making it difficult to activate the posterior half of your diaphragm, which attaches to the lower ribs and spine. This can increase breathing resistance and decrease diaphragm function, leading to a transition from normal deep breathing to short and shallow breathing. Poor posture can even lead to breathing issues and fatigue. 

There’s more helpful information about posture here from our Newsletter from August 7th, 2024: Why Should We Aspire to Have Good Posture

— Susan Musicant, DPT

Injury Prevention Coordinator at DayBreak

Your gift helps us provide care, connection, and dignity to seniors who need it most. Join the movement to uplift aging adults in our community.

If you know an elder in need of our care and coordination services, or a caregiver seeking support, please encourage them to reach out to us at: 

510-834-8314