Kelly Mental Health
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Meet Your Therapist
    • Meet The CEO
    • Tour Our Office
    • Join Our Team
    • KMH Foundation
  • Our Services
    • Counselling
    • Workshops
  • Book Online
  • Resources
    • KMH Podcast
    • Mental Health Articles
  • Get In Touch
    • Contact Us
  • News & Events
    • Featured >
      • 2020 New Business Excellence Award
      • Mask Anxieties - CBC News
      • Entrepreneur of the Year
      • Mental Health Newspaper Column
      • 2019 Quality of Life Award Nominee
      • Operation Red Nose
      • Women Magazine Fall 2018
      • Women Magazine Spring 2018
      • Thunder Bay's Finest
      • Thunder Bay Guest
      • ISC The Heart of our City
      • Commercial by DZ Photography
      • 2018 Business Excellence Awards Nominee
      • TBNewsWatch: Around Town
      • TBNewsWatch: What's Happening
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Meet Your Therapist
    • Meet The CEO
    • Tour Our Office
    • Join Our Team
    • KMH Foundation
  • Our Services
    • Counselling
    • Workshops
  • Book Online
  • Resources
    • KMH Podcast
    • Mental Health Articles
  • Get In Touch
    • Contact Us
  • News & Events
    • Featured >
      • 2020 New Business Excellence Award
      • Mask Anxieties - CBC News
      • Entrepreneur of the Year
      • Mental Health Newspaper Column
      • 2019 Quality of Life Award Nominee
      • Operation Red Nose
      • Women Magazine Fall 2018
      • Women Magazine Spring 2018
      • Thunder Bay's Finest
      • Thunder Bay Guest
      • ISC The Heart of our City
      • Commercial by DZ Photography
      • 2018 Business Excellence Awards Nominee
      • TBNewsWatch: Around Town
      • TBNewsWatch: What's Happening
Kelly Mental Health

Why Does Deep Breathing Actually Work?

1/3/2018

Comments

 
By Kristen Sohlman, HBA, RP
​How does deep breathing work?
Deep breathing communicates with the nerves responsible for the body’s emergency responses, fight or flight, to slow down and to maintain a sense of calm.  The Fight or Flight response prepares the body for an anticipated danger by propelling it into a heightened state of alertness or readiness.  This natural state keeps the body out of harm’s way when there is an actual threat, like if a wild animal escaped from the zoo and was right in front of you!  A signal is sent to the brain telling the body that there is an emergency and breathing becomes fast and rapid so that we can either run away or stay and fight.  We may also experience an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and a shortness of breath or shallow breathing.  
Picture
The challenge is that we can feel this way even when there is no actual threat or emergency, and we may feel fearful, anxious, or angry because it is a difficult situation.  For example, someone may become anxious about public speaking when there is no actual risk of harm to themselves if they were to speak in front of a group. 

By taking slow, controlled breaths, the arousal centre of the brain is not activated and we can stay and face the situation in front of us instead of fighting or fleeing (or experiencing all of the urges to do so without actually being able to leave). 

Our bodies have two opposite systems that function much like the gas and the brakes of a vehicle.  The sympathetic nervous system (the gas), and the parasympathetic nervous system (the brakes). 

When we breathe deeply, the gas is suppressed and the brake is enhanced.  Deep breathing pushes the brakes by activating the hypothalamus, connected to the pituitary gland in the brain, to send neurohormones that inhibit stress-producing hormones and trigger a relaxation response in the body.  The hypothalamus links the nervous system to the endocrine system, which secretes hormones that regulate the body and controls how a person copes with stress.  Epinephrine or adrenaline, and norepinephrine or noradrenaline are the hormones that increase heart rate and blood pressure, preparing the body for the fight-or-flight response. 
 
How is this helpful?
When we breathe deeply, we push down the brakes. The brain sends a message to the body to decrease the stress hormones, and our heart rate and blood pressure decrease.  We then feel less stressed physically so that our minds can follow. 

Sometimes we are consciously willing to address our issues, but cannot think clearly and become overwhelmed because we are too far into that state of fight or flight. We are gearing up to run away rather than staying calm, thinking things through, and taking logical steps.

It can be difficult to breathe deeply when you are anxious or angry, but with time and practice, it gets easier and more effective. By focusing on deep breathing you are more focused on your breath and being in the present moment, and are no longer focused on what it is that is creating the stress in your life.  This can give you the needed break to seek out support or try other coping strategies that you have in your coping skills tool kit. 
 
For more information, check out The Science of Slow Deep Breathing by M. MacKinnon (Psychology Today, 2016).
Picture
References:
MacKinnon, M. (2016). The Science of Slow Deep Breathing. Psychology Today. [Web page] Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/neuraptitude/201602/the-science-slow-deep-breathing
Comments

    Thoughts

    Check here periodically for updates from Kelly Mental Health staff. 

    Check out kellymagazine.ca for recent mental health articles and blog posts.
    View my profile on LinkedIn
    This blog is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide personal support as an alternative to psychotherapy services. Please note that replies are viewable by the public, and we may take a few days to respond. If you require immediate assistance, please call us during business hours. 

Visit us

Office Hours:
Monday - Friday 
9:00am - 5:00pm 
Please call to book your appointment

Support

Resources
All Services
​FAQ / Policies
Referral Form

Chat with us

(807) 767-3888
Toll-free: 
​1 (833) 467-0275
info@kellymentalhealth.com
Picture

© COPYRIGHT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. WEB DESIGN BY KMH