Posture and Breathing

Breathing – everyone does it approximately 20,000 times a day. But are we doing it right? Are we paying the same attention to our skin?

While most of us don’t think much about breathing, the way you breathe in and out has a huge impact on your physical and mental well-being.

One of the most important elements that our body cannot live without is oxygen. A normal person can only endure 3-4 minutes without oxygen (or what is known medically as anoxia) before they are considered brain dead. If it exceeds 5-6 minutes, this person dies.

Posture is one of the aspects that you must take into account to optimize your breathing. Why? The way you assume any position can either compress or facilitate the expansion of your chest. It is important that you maintain correct posture to promote a continuous and adequate supply of oxygen to your body. A properly oxygenated body is a happy body.

So if you start to feel a little tired, here are 3 poses that promote breathing to give your cells a boost of oxygen and energy.

15 minute walk

It sounds easy right? However, for any normal man who has been used to sluggish daily life, standing up straight on both legs equally, even for 5 minutes, is exhausting enough.

To try this out, try this position for the full 15 minutes and watch your breath. Now shift your weight to one leg; You will notice that your breathing has become slower than when you are standing up straight. Why? Because your whole body is relaxed in the first one, and your muscles don’t have to exert much effort.

The amount of oxygen in your body is relative to the number of your breaths. If you breathe less, your body is also absorbing less oxygen.

Sit straight

Whether you’re using a comfortable office chair or a chair for back pain, if you still slouch when you sit, you’re still compromising not only the integrity of your spine but also your breathing.

When you straighten your back, you are using more chest muscles to maintain this upright position. Since this takes effort, your brain will tell you to breathe in to get more oxygen. With enough room to expand, your lungs can do their job properly, allowing plenty of oxygen to revitalize your system.

The opposite happens when you slouch. Aside from using fewer muscles, your chest is compressed which limits lung expansion. With deficient oxygen in your body, you are more prone to fatigue and other mental changes like headaches or mood swings.

Sleep in the Semi-Fowler’s position

In medicine, the hunter’s position is the standard resting and sleeping position for patients. The head part of the bed is higher than the rest of the body. This is an intervention used to promote oxygenation, especially for patients experiencing respiratory distress.

If your bed, however, does not have the same mechanics as a hospital bed, you can support your head with one or two normal pillows, and another on your back. This will give you a semi-inclined head support. You can also place another pillow under your knees to prevent them from sliding down.

Regulating your breathing helps improve your performance on any task, so if you feel you need to purchase an office chair or other posture support equipment to maintain a position that promotes ideal breathing, go for it. Remember, your body is designed to function at its best – it just has to preserve its natural integrity so you can lead a healthier lifestyle and wellness.