Namaste friends.
COVID-19 is the new common villain we all face and must defeat.
In the current times of the pandemic,
We take several precautionary measures to stay safe.
While precautionary measures will surely help to reduce the spread of the disease,
Can we do more to protect ourselves?
If we pay attention to our breathing pattern,
We get a clue.
Majority of the population do not breathe right or breathe enough to fulfill the needs of the body and brain.
Here are two startling facts about our breathing.
Number one,
Our normal breath is very shallow.
Just by observing our breath,
We notice that we usually use only the top portion of our lungs.
Studies have shown that only about 10% of the total respiratory capacity is used during each breath in quiet breathing.
An average breath during ordinary quiet breathing known as tidal volume is about half a litre.
Although the total amount of air which can be inhaled may be as much as four and a half to five litres known as vital capacity.
In short,
We are underutilising lung capacity significantly.
Number two,
We don't exercise the muscles for efficient breathing.
The diaphragm and intercostal muscles are usually not used by most people when breathing.
The diaphragm separates the lungs from the abdomen and intercostal muscles are the muscles between the ribs.
Not using them to breathe causes decreased ventilation,
Decreased efficiency of gas exchange because of lower available alveolar surface area for the oxygen carbon dioxide exchange with the blood flow.
Additionally,
Some alveoli will remain closed and collect secretions causing them more prone to disease.
Think of what happens when you keep a room closed not irritated for a long time.
It's exactly that way.
If you have not read the article entitled,
Take a deep breath by Harvard Medical School,
I recommend you to read it.
Quality in our breathing pattern can potentially lead to pulmonary diseases as well as lower immunity in the body.
We become especially prone to lung diseases.
There have been several studies to demonstrate that asthma,
COPD and similar conditions can be corrected by changing the way we breathe.
Yogic three-part breathing helps us to improve the overall surface area available for gaseous exchange as well as increase the tidal volume of air taken in with every breath.
This is achieved by exercising the diaphragm,
Thoracic and clavicular muscles.
The lungs being a passive organ themselves expand and contract based on how these muscles are exercised.
The lungs expand both vertically because of the downward movement of the diaphragm and horizontally because of expansion of rib cage in yogic breathing.
This results in a large quantity of air reaching the lungs and inflating more alveolar tissue.
Thus,
More oxygen is made available for gas exchange with the blood.
While we must continue to take precautions as published by CDC and other governmental health agencies,
We can surely experiment with deep breathing practice or yogic three-part breathing to build immunity and hopefully ward off COVID-19.
If you are interested to learn yogic three-part breathing for free,
Please send me a direct message either on LinkedIn or leave a voice message for me here and I will respond back to you.
Stay safe.
Thank you so much.
