Breathing Right: A Simple Guide to Feeling Better

Breathing is more than just staying alive; it can actually do wonders for your body! Many people are surprised to learn how changing the way they breathe or adding some simple exercises to their routine can make a big difference. In this guide, we'll explore why diaphragmatic breathing is important, how it can help with pelvic floor health, back and neck pain, and stress relief, and how it fits within pelvic health physical therapy.

Taking Care of Your Pelvic Floor:

Diaphragmatic breathing is like a superhero for your pelvic floor, an essential part of your body. Diaphragmatic breathing helps by making these muscles relax. When you breathe in using your diaphragm, it naturally tells your pelvic floor muscles to chill out. This is important because it can help with pain during certain activities, make going to the bathroom easier, and reduce bloating. Often, people think they need to do kegels to help with their pelvic floor issues. But, in a lot of cases, what people actually need to do is relax their pelvic floor and relaxed breathing is the best place to start.

Saying Goodbye to Back and Neck Pain:

Do you ever feel pain in your back or neck? Well, how you breathe can actually affect that. If you're breathing a lot with your chest, it makes muscles in your neck and upper back work too hard. But if you practice diaphragmatic breathing, it helps those muscles relax. This is especially helpful if you have muscle guarding, which can limit how well you can move. By working on your breathing, you can reduce muscle guarding and move better.

Breathing for Stress Relief:

Diaphragmatic breathing isn't just good for muscles; it's awesome for calming your nervous system too. It's like a superpower for stress relief. When you practice this kind of breathing, it not only helps your muscles relax but also works wonders for reducing anxiety and stress. And, if you're having trouble falling asleep, guess what can help? Yep, diaphragmatic breathing!

How to Do Diaphragmatic Breathing:

Now, let's learn how to do it! It's easy:

• Put one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.

• Breathe in slowly through your nose, letting your belly rise like a balloon.

• Breathe out slowly through your mouth, making sure the hand on your chest stays still while the hand on your belly goes down.

You can also check out this video to see how it's done!

Breathing the right way can be like a secret weapon for feeling better. From keeping your pelvic floor happy to saying goodbye to back and neck pain, and even helping you relax when you're stressed – it's pretty amazing! So, the next time you're feeling a bit tense or overwhelmed, just take a few deep breaths. You might be surprised at how something so simple can make a big difference in making you feel happier and healthier!

If you are having neck or back pain in particular, breathing might be a big help. If you’d like to speak to one of our physical therapists about how breathing might be able to help with your pain, just reach out to us here and we’d be happy to talk more and see if breathing might be something you can work on.