Simply put, many people breathe too much, often 2-3 times the volume that their bodies require. This alters the natural levels of gases in the blood needed for healthy functioning, and can lead to numerous health problems, including asthma.
Habitual over-breathing (hyperventilation) is largely due to the influences of our modern lifestyles such as highly processed foods, reduced levels of exercise, excessive talking, polluted air and smoking.
This can result in many common complaints such as poor sleep, poor concentration, chronic tiredness and weight gain.
Common characteristics of over-breathing are:
• breathing through the mouth
• visible and/or audible breathing during rest
• regular sighing
• breathing using the upper chest
• taking large breaths prior to talking
Developing a habit of over-breathing leads to reduced oxygen delivery to tissues and organs, and to the constriction of the smooth muscles surrounding blood vessels and airways.
Over-breathing also negatively impacts growth & development of the jaws & facial structures in mouth-breathing children. Not surprisingly, this can have significant negative consequences for long-term health.
Structured breathing re-training programs are designed to reset breathing volume towards normal. They consist of a series of breathing exercises and guidelines specifically designed to reduce over-breathing and to establish correct lip seal with nasal breathing.
Bringing breathing volume towards normal levels results in a significant reduction of common breathing-related health issues and brings many additional benefits such as improved sleep, easy weight loss and increased energy levels.
The methods utilised will enable you to learn how to:
1. Unblock your nose using breathing exercises
2. Switch from mouth breathing to nasal breathing
3. Relax your diaphragm
4. Make minor lifestyle changes to aid improved long-term breathing
5. Measure your own breathing volume and monitor your own progress.
How over-breathing affects the body
Chronic hyperventilation results in a high breathing volume. This places extra strain on the body and affects health and well-being in a variety of ways.
When over-breathing becomes a habit, the body struggles to cope with the resulting imbalance of blood gases, and every system and organ in the body can be affected, including:
The respiratory system
Wheezing, blocked nose, alteration of smell and taste, runny nose, post nasal discharge, breathlessness, coughing, chest tightness, frequent chest infections, frequent yawning, and snoring.
The nervous system
Poor concentration, dizziness, light-headedness, numbness, sweating, dizziness, brain fog, vertigo, tingling of hands and feet, faintness, trembling, and headache.
The heart
A racing heartbeat, pain in the chest region, and a skipping or irregular heartbeat.
The mind
Anxiety, frustration, restlessness, irritability, tension, depression, apprehension, and stress.
Other general symptoms of over-breathing include: mouth dryness, fatigue, difficulty falling asleep, waking regularly at night, waking up tired, reduced productivity, bad dreams, nightmares, dry and itchy skin, sweaty palms, increased urination (including bed wetting or regular visits to the bathroom during the night), diarrhoea, constipation, general weakness, and chronic exhaustion.