The man standing beside me is Patrick McKeown. Patrick is a breath guru, an author of ten books on the subject, and I had the pleasure of training under him in September.
Impact on Breathing
Patrick teaches that there are 3 fundamental factors that have an impact on how you breathe:
- Biochemical: This is the gas exchange that occurs in the body between oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2)
- Biomechanical: This is the physical action of breathing and all the parts of the body that make it possible, like the respiratory muscles – intercostal muscles and the diaphragm.
- Psychological: The mental and emotional aspects that occur or may occur as a result – e.g stress caused by dysfunctional breathing, or dysfunctional breathing caused by stress
Now, while the 3 factors to how you breathe are listed above, the solutions to rectifying any issues fall into 3 parallel categories:
- Biochemical: focuses on your blood sensitivity to CO2
- Biomechanical: focuses on “where you’re breathing” – into the diaphragm
- Cadence: This is the speed or number of breaths you take per minute – ideally between 4.5-6 breaths to influence the autonomic nervous system
LSD Breathing
Patrick teaches Oxygen Advantage® (OA), a program of simple yet effective exercises that are designed to retrain your breathing for optimum performance. The focus of OA is LSD breathing (LSD stands for Light, Slow, Deep breathing).
The reason LSD is the main focus of OA, is that it addresses all 3 of the solutions listed above. One instruction before you try these is to ALWAYS BREATHE IN & OUT THROUGH THE NOSE – SHUT YOUR MOUTH
Breathe Light
Breathing light normalises the breathing chemistry, resulting in improved oxygen uptake & delivery, and reduced sensitivity to CO2 (Not suitable for those with serious health issues or pregnant)
How to breathe light? Simply reduce the volume of air you breathe, so as to create a tolerable air hunger – that feeling you get where you might like to take in a slightly bigger breath or not quite getting enough air (resist this urge). Place a finger under your nose and try to breathe so light that you cannot feel or hear the breath enter or leave your nostrils.
Breathe Slow
Breathing slow emphasises the reduction of breaths per minute, so as to achieve 4.5-6 breaths. When you reduce the number of breaths you will have improved breathing efficiency and oxygenation, you will develp a reduced sensitivity to CO2 (the primary trigger to breathe), you will tone the vagal nerve too…
How to breathe slow? Focus on the air coming in and out of your nose. Count the seconds.. breathe in for 5 seconds and without pausing, breathe out for 5 seconds. This automatically takes your cadence to 6 breaths per minute. Adjusts as necessary – if you cant do 5 seconds, do what you can and work up to it. If you feel 6 seconds IN/OUT workds better.. do that and you have a cadance of 5 breaths per minute.
Breathe Deep
Deep breathing engages the diaphragm and in practice it is exactly like it says – deep down into the belly. When we practice deep breathing, it allows for the first two steps to become easier. It is a nice slow practice in itself, and really helps to calm a racing mind. Diaphragmatic breathing greatly improves oxygenation within the body and aids with postural control.
How to breathe deep? Stand or sit up straight with your hands on your outer lower ribs. As you slowly & silently breathe in, feel your ribs expand outward. As you exhale, feel them move inward with your breath. Point to note: I say hands on your outer lower ribs because as the diaphragm moves downwards, the expansion will be felt to the sides, front & back. This is the best placement to feel all three locations.
Next Step
Practice these 3 steps combined for 4 minutes. Make it part of your daily routine and see for yourself how it improves your life. When you are comfortable with the exercise, see if you can do it while walking. Walking adds another stressor to your body and improves personal resilience.
If you would like to work with me to make LSD part of your daily routine, if you are an athlete in any code, or if you would like to gain a competitive edge in work – reach out to me for training and support. Together we can make your breath work to your advantage.
info@celticbreathwork.com
