Breathing Basics

The three most important things for life are eating, drinking and breathing. And of all three, careful regulation of the breathing on a minute-by-minute basis is the most important.

Because breathing is so incredibly important to the health and wellbeing of every part of the human body, it is an automated process to ensure that it continues correctly.

Unfortunately sometimes automatic processes, like blood pressure for instance, can become unstable. This is the same with breathing, and so perhaps it is something that we should take less for granted and pay a little more attention to. Read on to find out more about this basic, yet important function.

Respiratory System Introduction

The main purpose of breathing is to supply the body with sufficient oxygen and to remove excess amounts of carbon dioxide. The respiratory system takes care of this.

Mechanics of Breathing

Breathing is a very simple process, and when performed correctly, it is possible to breathe almost effortlessly from the time you are born until the time that you die.

How Breathing is Controlled

Think breathing is controlled by oxygen? Find out here what really happens.

Oxygen v carbon dioxide

We are taught in school that we breathe in oxygen and we breathe out carbon dioxide, and this over-simplification gives many of us the impression that carbon dioxide is a waste gas. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

Our body stores something like 90 times more carbon dioxide in the body than oxygen. Is this because the body cannot get rid of it, or because it is actually required?

Bohr effect

Danish scientist Christian Bohr discovered more than one hundred years ago that carbon dioxide has a strong influence on oxygen delivery from the blood to the tissue cells, and it has consequently been called the "Bohr effect".

How can breathing go wrong?

"I'm still alive, so I must be breathing ok, right?" Wrong! Like other automatic processes such as blood pressure and sugar levels, breathing can become unstable without the person even being aware of it. Learn more about abnormal or dysfunctional breathing, so that you can have better breathing.

The importance of the nose

The importance of the nose, which is the start of the respiratory tract, should not be underestimated in regard to good health.

Unblock Your Nose

Breathing through your nose is not only the natural way to breathe because it is the start of the respiratory system, but it is also the healthiest way because the nasal passages are designed to filter out particles, kill germs and to warm and moisten the air. Breathing through the mouth, which is the start of the digestive tract, does none of these things effectively. Try the following exercise to see if it will make your nose work more effectively.

What causes hyperventilation?

The causes of hyperventilation are probably infinite, but the one thing that these things all have in common is that they cause you stress of some kind.

Symptoms of Hyperventilation

Because breathing affects the entire body, when hyperventilation is a concern, the symptoms are wide and varied.

Why does hyperventilation cause symptoms?

Hyperventilation causes a range of symptoms throughout the body because it not only disturbs the normal ratio of gases in the lungs and blood, but because it causes more stress on the body and further increases the levels of cortisol and adrenalin.

History of hyperventilation

Dr. Jacob Mendes Da Costa first investigated and documented the symptoms of chronic hyperventilation during the American Civil War, and it became known as ‘Da Costa’s syndrome’. Since that time it has been called many different names that include soldier’s heart and effort syndrome. Today it is most commonly known as chronic hyperventilation syndrome.

Myth 1. Deep breathing gives me more oxygen

Do you think that dizzy feeling you have after blowing up a balloon or two is good for you? Probably not, yet time after time the value of deep, forceful breathing is promoted as being healthy.

Myth 2. Deep breathing strengthens my lungs

It is a perception that people who are 'bronchial' have weak lungs, and they sometimes do deep breathing exercises to strengthen them. This is a fallacy for a number of reasons...

Myth 3. There is stale air in my lungs

Some people believe that they need to breathe deeply each morning or regularly each day in order to take in 'fresh' air and to clear the 'stale' air out of their lungs.

Myth 4. The more oxygen, the better

It is commonly believed that oxygen is the 'good' gas, and carbon dioxide the 'bad', so naturally we think that if we have more oxygen then this will be better for our health.

Myth 5. Carbon dioxide is poisonous

Carbon monoxide is poisonous, but carbon dioxide is used by the body to regulate every function, either directly or indirectly, so it can hardly be poisonous. But like most things, we need to have the correct balance. Too little or too much carbon dioxide would be harmful, and so ordinarily the body takes care to keep the correct concentration.

Myth 6. Deep breathing is calming

When you look anxious or angry, people will often tell you to take a deep breath because it is calming. While it is not disputed that one or two deep breath may help to relax the person long enough to get a grip on their emotions, several deep breaths can greatly raise emotions and heighten sensations. And many deep breaths can even cause a hyperventilation attack, which is not the slightest bit calming.

Myth 7. I have to get rid of the mucus

Mucus is slimy, sometimes it is a discoloured, it can make us cough or block our airways, and we were told as children to never swallow it, but instead wrap it in a handkerchief or tissue and either put it in your pocket or throw it away. No wonder we don't like it!

However, trying to rid your airways of mucus is a bit like trying to rid your stomach of stomach acid: totally impossible, and it also begs the question of why would you even want to because mucus has a lot going for it.