We breathe in and out all day long. In fact, we take in about 20,000 breaths per day. Without even thinkng about it, but maybe we should.
Most of us are chest breathers. We breath in and out by using our upper back and neck muscles. Our chests rise up when we breath. This can make our shoulders and neck stiff all day.
Research indicates that this type of breathing activiates our "fight or flight", or sympathetic division of our nervous system. That's good when we need to respond to a stressfull, threatening situation, but not when we are trying to enjoy the holidays.
Abdominal breathing trains the diaphragm, an important muscle for core activation, spine stability and stress relief. Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as crocodile breathing, activates the parasympathetic nervous system, our "rest and restore" functions.
Relax your nervous system and relax your back, shoulder and neck muscles at the same time.
We've got a short video HERE to help you get started. You can also download the instructions below.
Have a safe, healthy and restful holiday season, from all of us at Edgemont Chiropractic Clinic.
Dr. David Olson
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