Recently, I was virtually mansplained by a breathing expert who informed me that I don’t teach “proper” breathing.🤔
Ah, the remarkably satisfying interoceptive experience of responding to social media blather with… crickets.
I’ve been doing my thing long enough not to be bothered by cyber-mansplaining. But it got me thinking about how there’s a lot of confusion out there about breathing.
So, I’d like to share a few things.
First, breathing is an incredibly complicated activity involving many parts of the body and mind. The foundation is the brain stem – whose job is to keep you alive. But breathing is influenced by all sorts of physiologic and psychologic factors as well.
The brain’s limbic system is involved in breathing because breathing is both affected by, and affects, mood and emotions. When you take conscious control of the breath (e.g. when practicing pranayama) the front brain gets in on the action. Respiration is incredibly complex and, while we can work to optimize the system using various breathing practices, the idea that there is some sort of correct or “proper” way of breathing is a ruse.
So, breathing expert, please put all that in your pipe and inhale deeply.
This doesn’t mean that breathing practices are useless BTW, what it means is that one person’s “proper breathing” may be another’s nightmare.
Here are three things to remember about breathing:
- There is NO Magic Breath
People breathe differently because they must. Your breath is essentially a reflection of your biography. For some folks, it could be that a traumatic birth, a lung infection or disease, asthma, an assault, or an accident set down a survival pattern of breathing. Along comes a breathing expert and tells you all your problems stem from your dysfunctional breathing and he’s going to fix you.
But it typically doesn’t work that way.
Some breathing techniques may be wonderful for you. But others that are touted as cure-alls may not have the desired effect at all. They may increase stress and/or anxiety (not to mention make you feel bad about your pathetically inadequate breathing skills).
The bottom line is this: you probably won’t know which techniques work for you until you try them out for a while.
There are lots of promising studies about breathing, but the only well researched breathing technique that seems to be beneficial for everyone (and there are caveats of course) is slow, deep breathing. Other evidence is more anecdotal – which is fine, but it makes it very difficult to make blanket statements about breathing.
Also, it’s important to understand that we breathe differently at different times to accommodate different activities – that’s the way the system is set up. When you walk up a hill, your breath better speed up. When you lie down, it better slow down. Your breathing rate is all about homeostasis – keeping the right balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide to maintain homeostasis in the system depending on the activity, thought, or emotion.
You can mess around with that when you are doing different activities and sometimes you will have a good result, or it may send you straight for the Xanax bottle.
I teach Structural Breath á la Desikachar with asanas (here’s a video) but always with a lot of freedom to explore and discover what works best for you. The reason I teach Structural Breath is because asanas pose certain risks biomechanically and supportive breathing during asanas can help to prevent injuries.
Another reason I teach Structural Breath during asanas is because it can give you a chance (for a relatively short period every day) to utilize yoga postures to massage, mobilize, and optimize the different structures of breathing – organs, myofascial structures, joints, ligaments, etc. and thereby optimize the function of the system – which then prepares the body and mind for whatever breathing practice you may choose.
However, I don’t recommend that folks practice Structural Breath all day every day – it’s a technique. It’s not the “right way” of breathing.
And some people don’t like Structural Breath and/or prefer not to focus on their breath while doing asanas and that’s okay with me too – because I never, ever want to force anyone to breathe in a way that triggers their survival mechanisms and provokes anxiety, panic, etc.
- You are not Oxygen Deprived
One of the things the breathing expert said and that I’ve heard repeated many times by others, is that human beings are oxygen deprived and proper breathing will solve that. But there’s really no evidence for this statement.
Breathing is about the exchange of gases – oxygen and carbon dioxide. And while we all know that we need oxygen and trees need carbon dioxide (and I’m an admitted tree hugger) but it’s just not that simple.
Human beings also need carbon dioxide to function and the job of respiration is to constantly monitor and find balance between the two gases.
The thing is that your breathing rate is always being regulated by your O2 and CO2 levels. The average person, with no pathology, gets plenty of oxygen. Actually, studies show that regular old automatic, involuntary breathing supplies 100% of your oxygen needs.
I would suggest that increasing oxygen is not the benefit of pranayama. The main benefit is that research shows that taking conscious control of your breath, through just about any technique, tends to bias the nervous system towards a more parasympathetically oriented mode – i.e. it’s relaxing.
Interestingly, hyperventilating pranayamas and kriyas like Kapalabhati actually lower CO2 levels. This makes blood vessels and airways constrict and blood pH increase. So, if you do these practices for too long, you will get dizzy and maybe even pass out.
However, shorter holds at the top of your inhale will increase CO2 levels which makes your blood vessels and airways dilate and lowers your blood pH.
And, that short hold may support a nice, long, slow exhalation which then (theoretically at least) kicks in a soothing parasympathetic response.
But there’s a law of diminishing returns here.
Too much breath holding has the opposite effect. You will turn blue and pass out eventually – which is the brain stem’s way of shoving the front brain aside and taking control of the wheel in order to force you to start breathing again – because survival trumps everything else.
- Belly breathing is not proper breathing
Belly breathing can be really nice – but it does not solve all problems nor is it the Holy Grail of breathing.
Belly breathing can be wonderful for reducing stress and anxiety. It can be great for practicing meditation and seated breath awareness. It can be soothing and can reduce anxiety – for some people. But it isn’t the right way of breathing, it’s just another technique.
And just because babies belly breathe, doesn’t mean that it is the best way for adults to breathe. Belly breathing is developmentally appropriate…for babies. But that doesn’t mean that it’s appropriate for adults.
The inconvenient truth is that when a breathing expert, master, or doctor promotes a breathing technique as universally helpful, it suggests that they don’t have a good grasp on the mechanics, physiology, intrinsic survival mechanism, and/or subtleties of human respiration. And then their students or clients feel inadequate because they can’t seem to achieve the desired result.
But it’s not your fault, the fault lies in reductive thinking about breathing.
Remember that what worked for ancient Chinese people may not be appropriate for the coffee-injected, media-bombarded, 12-lane-highway-navigating nervous system of today.
One more note here – breathing practices without asanas are sort of like baked apples without the pastry, cinnamon, and whipped cream – just not that satisfying.
Breath-centric asanas help prepare the system for pranayama practices. That’s one of their main functions. They mobilize and strengthen the wild and wonderfully varied structures of breathing. So that when you sit to practice pranayama, your system is ready for it. Without them, whatever technique you used will, most likely, lack luster.
I hope this is helpful!
Here are some studies for further exploration:
Nestor, J. (2020). Breath: The new science of a lost art.
Please join me February 20-21 for a workshop/retreat – Pranayama and Asanas to Thrive During Challenging Times
CHAIR YOGA FOR YOUR BRAIN & NERVOUS SYSTEM
SUBTLE® YOGA FOR ENHANCING TRAUMA RECOVERY
Five Ways Yogic Meditation Benefits Your Brain – eBook
QUESTIONS?
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Hi Kristine.
I love constantly learning from you. I have a question about everyday over-loaded human breathing.
As a therapist- I became aware of how shallow my breathing was a few years back. I even bought one of those “BREATHE” signs to hang across from me in my office. I am not sure the shallow breathe is an occupational hazard from all of the secondary “witnessing” I do, OR is the way I just breath throughout my life.
I know my pulmonary functioning is just fine (tested). I know I am capable of long deep breaths- I have sung my whole life. I was a competitive Scottish highland dancer (surprise!). In pranayama , I enjoy playing with the breath (my favorite is 3-part breath and find a big difference, too, when I pull my belly in-it frees up so much for me)
YET- my everyday breathing is remarkably shallow. When I think of it, I will draw a more deep breath, but I worry that my body really isn’t getting enough?? even though I have no “scientific” evidence that I am compromised. Is there any particular thought you have about this.???
With much Graditude
Love
Jayna
As you know in your line of work Jayna, vicarious trauma is a real phenomenon and self-care is an ethical imperative. I think trying to remember to take more conscious breaths throughout your day is a good start and then implmeenting a regular pranayama practice may be helpful for you as well. xo
The content in this article/post is amazing. I found it to be so informative and easy to comprehend. I learned some important new things that I will incorporate into my classes and I believe will be very helpful to my students. My only suggestion would be of a technical nature: I wish that there was some way to pause the images that were moving (like the woman tipping over) because when trying to focus on the content of this piece (which again, was phenomenal) it became very distracting to have a repetitive moving image. I tried scrolling over the moving image but that redirected me to a different site rather than pause the video. I am viewing from a desktop, so I’m not sure if this also happens on devices, or if perhaps the formatting is different.
Regarding the moving pictures- just move the page up a little so you can still read but the picture is gone. I also didn’t like them
thank you!
Hey Sarah,
sorry the images are annoying – I totally get it! They are meant to be fun and/or funny – perhaps reading on a phone will make it easier to avoid the gifs.
I agree, the images are super fun but I also find them to be super distracting and try to scroll past them. Maybe it’s that there are too many (for me, as I’m easily distracted) and I want to focus on the content.
I also agree that this was one of Kristine’s best blogs – I always learn SO MUCH and my students LOVE it 🙂 so thank you again!
and to add to my prior comment – I also like to print many of the blogs and share with my class. If there is a way to just print text that I’m missing, can someone point me in that direction?? tough on the printer! thanks.
Thank you – very enlightening! And I especially love all of the accompanying photos and videos!!
Thanks Donna!
Oh Kristine, I’m still having a chuckle about you comments re “proper “ breathing. I teach mainly older people who are not shy about saying what they are thinking. Many of them have substantial health issues and often tell me that they check each morning to make sure that they are still breathing, and that is always a plus when they confirm that they are! Always brings me back to earth regarding what are really the important things in life. As an asthmatic I have “tried” many different breathing techniques and finally came to the conclusion that I probably use all the various techniques during any given day and my brain/body/nervous system and any other part of my bodily systems will call the shots and make sure that my technique is the one that I use at that point in time. However I must admit that I do really enjoy taking the time to practice a conscious specific practice in my yoga as well. I love reading your emails and articles when they land in my inbox. Thank you 🙏
I practice several different pranayamas regularly Ros so I am not at all against them – just interested in helping folks feel a greater sense of self-direction.
Very clear and comprehensive article.
I appreciate your point of view that there is no one way. Perhaps we need a layered understanding of pranayama. This might especially be true if there is trauma involved. From my perspective the more a person has cultivated a self structure the more they can engage in pranayama to awaken and harness prana.
Thank you Deirdre! I really appreciate your perspective.
Excellent rave thank you Kristine. I lived the videos snd gifs Lol. Thank you 🙏
Thank you…love your practical approach. Cheers, Beth
Thank you. Love your practical approach. Cheers, Beth
thank you!
Love this. Absolutely I do. No one size fits all. I have learnt, practised, and taught so many differing styles of pranayamas like bhastrika, kapalabhati, and different ways to do “complete” breath. I never ever teach any alternate nostril type breathing with the hands covering the face to anyone who has been abused in any way as this can cause panic attacks in such instances.
Thank you! Yes I agree about nadi shodhana, and it’s also sketchy for some people with MH or substance use issues to mess around with the nose brain because it goes straight into the limbic system.
Thank you Kristine! I love your approach and deep wisdom. I am also noticing how some experts have such one sided views about how to do it right. I have a similar experience to you from working with many clients with complex needs over last 20 years – one persons perfect practice is another’s nightmare.
Thank you for sharing your work.
Thanks Aneta!
really good , thank you
thanks!
Great Info! I just finished a 30 day yoga challenge focused on breath and we explored many different breathing techniques. What I don’t understand or follow is why mansplaining is part of this article. Is it that a male disagreed with you? What if that person was female? I get mansplaining and have seen it alive and well at work and since I didn’t read his remarks to you maybe it is mansplaining. I just think we need to be careful to use this as a headline to grab a reader and what made it mansplaining vs. a diff of opinion by a male?
Well, when you are told by a male, in a position of authority/power, that you are wrong – without qualification or evidence to back it up, I think that’s the definition of mansplaining right there. I’ve been around long enough, and been mansplained enough, to know exactly when it’s happening. The garbage behavior that I have witnessed and received from men in the health and wellness world has made me hypervigilant. And that’s okay. In fact, I would argue that it’s a survival strategy. I have a voice and an opinion, and I have no problem using them.
Very thought provoking. Thank you 🙏
Thanks Kate!
Nice blog Kristine, three really good points. Your views and experience on the subject of breathing are some of the reasons I love SY. We are each invited to become our own experts. Revolutionary…threatening to the expert class.
Aw thanks Chris! It’s so nice to work with you and I love your perspective!
Thank you Kristine for a well thought out response for everyone. It is so important that we teach and encourage all to find what works for them but guiding the way with knowledge, experience and facts.
yes I agree! Thanks Sandra!
Thank you Kristine for that article. Very informative and it makes sense. It is interesting to discuss the different aspects of breathing and how it changes in different situations. So important for people to be aware for themselves as we are all different.
Yes exactly Fiona – thank you!
Kristine this piece just reminded me why , as a health care professional, I so respect your work, integrating and very simply explaining the science of yoga. I bow to you and respect your expertise, I am grateful for your wisdom , expertise and the years of experience that allow you to confidently reply to so called ‘experts’ with piecemeal and incomplete knowledge. Thank you
Hi i like your articel but i think you should have a closer look to belly breathing normal and reverse. Because it got a lot more benefits as just relax you.
Its a massage for your organs, increase blood flow and helps with digestion aktion too. The reverse version also pulls up the perinium and strenght the sexual organs and increase bloodflow in that area which is very important, because we tend to sit too much.
I dont want to say that the author is wrong but i think she missing some informations.
But dont belive me. Try it and fit out by yourself. 🙂
One love
Thank you. Did you happen to see the title of the blog?
Ah thanks Bernice!
Love the essay Kristine. I largely teach older yogis that practice every day. We always seek the responsive present individual experience with our practice, we practice belly or other breathing techniques when centering or meditating, we talk about the structural approach with asana. It is effective for us older yogis to help us protect our backs as we move.
Thanks Mary!
This is very clearly written and right on target. Hopefully, it may open the door for the “hardcore” belly breathers (pun intended) to study the research more deeply.
In this incarnation, 54% of the time, I identify as being a “man,” which doesn’t seem to be relevant. You might reconsider the headline and leave out the clickbait “mansplaining.” Why don’t we just be humans and talk about how fascinating and complex our breath is. Hopefully, this comment is received as being both truthful and kind.
Thanks Tom. And yeah, it was mansplainin’ – it’s important to call it out when it happens.
Boom- drop the mic Kristine!! Thanks for informedwoman-splaining this topic. Hope you are settling into your new life. I’ll be returning to Asheville soon and it won’t feel the same without you. You continue to be close, yet so far away…we are global now and I’m comforted. Love, Laurel T
Thanks Laurel! I am missing Asheville for sure right now, but also having a lot of fun in NZ! today we saw seals!!!
Even though we should intrinsically ‘know’ that all breathing practices don’t work for all people, that does not prevent us from thinking that there is something ‘wrong’ with us when our teacher says THIS breath practice is universally calming/grounding/whatevering – but it makes us totally panic. I studied with a pranayama master and was often asked to breathe in specific ratios. I could never get it to do what it was intended to do. The act of counting completely activated my stress response (I have no idea why and truthfully that does not even really matter). Even decades later, I cannot count how long my breath takes. Maybe it has something to do with doing it “right”? So now when I do ratio breathing, I just wing it and it works so much better for me.
Thanks for again giving us the permission to be our own teachers!
I agree Cheryl – it is a shame that we get techniques foisted upon us as if they are the “proper” way of breathing. We really need to take our power back. thanks!
Kristine, this is amazing! You so clearly describe the many aspects of breath in our body and the overlay of pranayama to our mind, body and soul.
So very grateful🙏💗☮️🕉
PS love the humor😂
Thank you Jane!
Thank you so much for sharing ! Your explanations and details to the bigger picture of the integration of our breath& asana practice to help bring ourselves into balance is very reassuring . So many times , pranayama is taught as a technique with out the underlying foundation of what it means to really breath and how can one use their breath to help bring themselves into balance . Every breath we take is always different and can be explored and supported with numerous techniques and should be described as a teach especially as techniques relate to contraindications. A BIG THANKS!
exactly – I agree Dani!
Well said and nicely documented. You ALWAYS give modifications and include a statement for people to be aware of their comfort level. I love your lessons and know you have a well-educated background to teach what you do. I hope this person reads this blog and can “breathe easier.” LOL!
Thanks Brenda!
Yoga didn’t come to be a part of my life until after I retired nearly 10 years ago. It was so helpful for my flexibility and joint comfort, but I always struggled with the breathing component, perhaps because for years I had a chronic cough due to gastric-esophageal reflux. A couple of years ago I was referred to a speech pathologist following a severe bronchitis with a long period of laryngitis resulting in voice issues. In that evaluation, I learned that most of my normal breathing was in my upper lung areas and did not include diaphragmatic or belly breathing which was part of the problem with my voice issues. I guess this was how I had breathed most of my life. So I was taught a number of techniques and finally learned to belly breath with much practice over many months. I also included it whenever I did my yoga. My voice issues improved gradually and with ongoing practice I found my chronic cough also significantly improved. I no longer struggle with my yoga breathing, although I find there are times I think I should be doing belly breathing, but it doesn’t seem to come naturally. After reading your article, maybe I won’t worry about that so much any more.
If you’ve found a technique that is supportive for you – fantastic! That’s wonderful! But yes, if have been told that you have to belly breathe exclusively during yoga, I would suggest that that advice is problematic.
I find structured breathing in asanas helps me to stop worrying about doing pranayama right. Finding out that baked apples can come with pastry and cream brings out deep sighs of joy!
haha! Yes, I prefer the pastry and cream version myself.
Great article! Thank you for your perspective.
Not only is there “no one way” to practice pranayama correctly but there is no one “correct” yoga practice in general.
Bikram yoga changed my life years ago and it’s where I finally learned to relax into my breath.
I had always heard it wasn’t “good or real” yoga.
To each their own.
I practiced years of Iyengar and Anusara before that and never made the connection.
And for some people. Bikram is definitely not good.
I will say the alignment I learn in the other styles kept me safe.
The heat and series of postures at the time was just what I needed though.
I’ve enjoyed practicing and appreciating many styles of yoga and pranayama techniques.
My body has changed over the years too and what was once optimal isn’t something I do much of anymore.
I have learned to walk away from anyone who says their way is the “right” way.
And haha, about kaphalabati… I love it!
When I feel like I need a system recharge and big shift in perspective, I will do it for 31 minutes.
I learned that in order to do it for this long, you must relax.
For me, it’s very balancing.
If you are too forceful, yes you get dizzy after a while.
For me, I can just coast along with it.
Not everyone can or should do this, but for some, it’s pretty fantastic. 🙂
I think a “yogi” is actually someone who has mastered the ability to stay in parasympathetic nervous system.
We are all so different and what will help one person do that, may not be for another.
Good teachers know this and understand that each individual is their own best teacher.
They understand that they can share from their perspective and experience in ways that will reach the people that need them.
It’s just not possible to meet everyones needs all the time. 😉