BRELAXED STRESS CONSULTANCY

By Michelle Pearson

STRESS AND BREATHING

A practical example; athletes are taught to use their whole lung capacity during their training and race. Each athlete is being taught the different breathing techniques to ensure their gaseous is correct and always at ultimate performance. If an athlete uses the whole lung capacity, they can go further than the average person in a run before hitting the wall of tiredness and leg cramps. In other words, they are training their body to receive AND use as much of the oxygen intake as possible, so it can reach all the parts that require it. The side effect of not using the correct breathing pattern can include an increase in leg cramps and spasms, due to a build up of lactic acid, (brought on by lack of oxygen and a build up of carbon dioxide). Lactic acid build up, is often known as the 'pain barrier' 'the wall', it is the glucose metabolism in the body, a by-product of exercise. For any exercise, there is a need for energy, glucose is produced to aid us in all of our activities.

What does this have to do with stress and breathing? As I showed with the fight or flight syndrome, when stressed, frightened or in shock we tend to breath in a shallow and fast manner. If we become scared, we take a sudden intake of breath and hold onto it. This technically means we are using the upper part of the lungs only. The holding of the breath becomes quite painful which we notice when the threat has gone, and again as we sigh afterwards. The more stress you have, the higher the chance of a shallow breathing pattern. Alternatively, a fast breathing rate such as hyperventilation, is due to the lungs not being used to their full capacity, in the correct manner, both of these problems reduces the amount of oxygen in the whole body. It then becomes a cycle; stress causes shallow breathing and shallow breathing causes a stress response.

One common assumption made by most people is that oxygen is the key to our survival; if we are low of oxygen our body tells us to breathe. This is incorrect! It is the level of carbon dioxide that informs our body, when we need to breathe. A prime example of this at work is treating an individual who is hyperventilating; we get them to breath into a bag, why? With each breath they take they are lowering the amount of oxygen in the bag until eventually (if the attack lasts for a long time) they are predominantly breathing in more carbon dioxide. By increasing the level of carbon dioxide in their body, the gaseous levels return to normal - the attack is over.

We do need as much oxygen as possible so when our bodies are stressed and we start to shallow breathe it won't cause too many problems. However, we can only sustain that for a short period. After that, we need to replenish the stores, and get rid of the lactic acid build up from our muscles. Lets take another look at hyperventilating; this is termed a 'faulty breathing habit'. Quite often people hyperventilate when they are in shock or stressed. They have a great urge for oxygen. This is not what is required. That is why a paper bag is often used to help the individual. We all have to be careful to keep the balance of the blood gasses namely oxygen and carbon dioxide. If there is a disruption to the balance, such as increased amounts of oxygen it is quite common for a person to have tingling sensations in their finger, hands, arms, and mouth. It can cause fainting, dizziness, sweating, numbness, as well as chest pain. All these symptoms can add to stress and cause further shallow breathing and holding of breath. The reasons why these symptoms occur in the first place are due to an imbalance in the lungs - the level of carbon dioxide is too low. Eventually this type of breathing appears normal to the individual.

I hear you think, so what, we need oxygen to breathe not carbon dioxide? This is correct but we do need carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide actually helps the body identify the need to increase oxygen levels. We only use a small percentage of oxygen that we breathe in so though the concentration of carbon dioxide in the paper bag is increasing, there is more than a sufficient level of oxygen in the bag as well. Whilst a person has the paper bag over their nose and mouth they begin to take long slow deep breathes. This regulates the balance of the gasses, and utilises the lungs capacity. This ultimately corrects the body's original imbalance. It will eventually stop the sensations, dizziness etc. Once this starts to happen the individual tends to feel better because the original sensations caused by shallow breathing and holding ones breaths have gone. The next page is on the subject hyperventilating and then over the next few pages, there are descriptions of techniques that are available to be taught. This will provide you a level of basic understanding.