My Blog

Anxiety and Breathing

01/19/2012 13:25:00

Most people have noticed that when someone is very anxious they hyperventilate. We have all seen images of people breathing into a brown paper bag to calm them down. What is happening is that when the person over breathes, they loose too much carbon dioxide. This causes them to become more anxious and they over breathe more...creating a spiraling effect in their panic and breathlessness. Carbon dioxide in NOT a waste gas and is very important to the functioning of our bodies systems. If levels get too low we could faint (until levels restored.) By learning to breathe correctly you can control anxiety and panic attacks. check out The buteyko method to see how it works. Breathe Well! Be Calm :)

Silent Night ....How to stop Snoring and Sleep Apnea

12/22/2011 23:20:00

Snoring and Sleep apnea are two of the most prevalent problems people face at night. Both are disruptive to both the snorer and their partners, and more importantly they can lead to serious health issues such lack of proper sleep and even heart attacks.

Simply, snoring is a sound created from turbulent airflow. It is noisy breathing during sleep caused by the exchange of a large volume of air through a narrowed space, which in turn causes the tissues of the nose and throat to vibrate.

Sleep apnea, is caused by either a blockage in the throat or from breathing heavily during sleep. All this over breathing causes the loss of a vital gas called Carbon Dioxide. To protect you, the brain cuts off breathing temporarily until CO2 rises to a healthy level. Once this level is reached the person snorts, gasps and is 'jump-started' back to breathing. This pattern repeats many times through the nite causing fitful sleeps and strain on the heart.

Snorers breathe through their mouth, their nose or both. It is easy to address the first but if the nose is blocked the snorer must learn how to keep it clear to prevent snoring. And if over breathing is a habit that encompasses 24 hours of a day, then learning how to reduce your breathing to a healthy level all the time is vital.

Healthy people who breathe quietly and gently do not experience snoring or sleep apnea. If this is the case then it is logical to say that by correcting breathing volume during the night could eliminate these problems.

Addressing your breathing is the first place to start when looking for relief from disruptive sleep. Most often medications and appliances will be prove unnecessary. The best method I know of is the Buteyko Breathing Method as it not only retrains you to breathe a healthy volume of air but also unplugs the nose and opens airways.

An additional bonus is that it will also open blood vessels and allow blood to flow more easily resulting in lower blood pressure for those suffering from hypertension.

So this Christmas, have your own Silent Night by breathing less and breathing well.

Christine Byrne

Buteyko Breathing Educator

10 Tips To Breathing Well This Winter

11/21/2011 16:09:00

12 Natural Tips to Breathing Well this winter.

Breathing well is vital for good health in the winter. It is, in my opinion, more important than washing your hands to prevent picking up germs.

Follow these tips and you will breathe easier, prevent asthma attacks and resistant catching the flus or common colds that circulate this time of year.

Nasal Breathe Only! The nose is the instrument for breathing not the mouth. Mouth breathing is the best way to swallow up germs.
Breathe from your diaphragm. Most people breathe from their upper chest only, limiting the amount of oxygen they receive.
Relax - calm breathing works best.
Exercise - gentle walks will help you feel better.
Avoid foods that increase breathing such as chocolate, caffeine, too much protein, alcohol or dairy.
Avoid large meals. All food increases breathing.
Sleep in a cool room; turn off the central heating.
Raise the head of the bed slightly if possible; put a book or bricks under the legs.
Take 1/4 tsp of liquid magnesium in water to help open airways.
Drink 1/2 tsp of celtic sea salt in a glass of warm water to thin mucus.
Use little 'mini-breathe holds' to open airways when feeling breathless or congested. Breathe 15 seconds, hold 3 seconds, repeat till feeling better.
Practice the Buteyko Breathing Method of reduced breathing to optimize your breathing, all the time.

The importance of nasal breathing to prevent colds and flu

11/16/2011 20:02:00

Hi everyone,

Well, this is my first attempt at blogging! That's right, still not sure how it works but I am trusting that people will see it and reply as I put helpful advice, tips and links to my favorite resources.

So welcome all. Please reply or add something to this blog. I will answer any and all questions relating to Buteyko that I can for you.

To start I wanted to talk about the importance of nasal breathing only to prevent colds and flu this winter.

THE NOSE

Remember the nose is the instrument for breathing for a very good reason.

1. It filters the air you breathe, protecting you from allergens (yes, even in winter) and particles that could cause an infection. If you breathe an irritant or virus in through your nose, the natural antibiotics in the mucus, and the hairs in the nose, would filter it out within 15 minutes. What the nose doesn't clear, gets swallowed into the tummy and the acid there takes care of it.

If you swallow the same particle, in thru the mouth, and it reaches the little air sacs in your lungs, could take up to 120 days to clear.

2. The nose warms the air to the correct temperature for the lungs.

3. The nose regulates the correct volume of air to breathe. The mouth moves six times the amount the noses does.

4. Nitric oxide is released at the back of the nose when you inhale, opening the airways naturally. You miss out on this vital step when you mouth breath.

5. Nasal breathing protects the gums and teeth and prevents the need for braces in children.

So there you have it. 5 Great reasons to use your nose this winter.

It is, in my opinion, more important than washing your hands to prevent flu and colds.

So protect yourself from colds, flu and asthma with nasal breathing!

To your health,

Chris