The Science Of Breathwork Therapy

By Nancy Gardner


Throughout the Seventies and Eighties, doctors largely ignored the rise of interest in and experts on the holistic medical approach to disease. These days many people are seeking a balanced approach, and many lack the insurance necessary to see traditional doctors. With such changes in attitude, the medical field has been forced to take a closer look at techniques such as breathwork therapy.

For a patient and their physician to appreciate why and how many holistic methods can be effective, they must first acknowledge that there is a connection between the mind and the body. This can be difficult for a doctor trained only in pharmaceutical treatments to accept. However, how we feel about our lives, our illness, and ourselves can impact whether or not we get well.

Followers within the New Age movement firmly believe that there is a connection between our thoughts and our health. They take it to the extreme sometimes, claiming that any negative thoughts are destructive. Negative thoughts are part of our reality and must be acknowledged, but there is no doubt that one who tends to be depressed has less chance of recovery than one who stays upbeat.

Because a deep-breathing exercise routine promotes relaxation and calm, it is being utilized by psychologists now for patients seeking a non-pharmaceutical treatment for anxiety or panic attacks. It takes practice to control the rate of breathing one is using, and this can prevent the hyperventilation often seen by those who suffer anxiety disorders. For many, these exercises have helped them get through stress without making their emotions a public display.

Anyone who has cared for or just been around an adult with Asperger Syndrome knows what a panic attack meltdown looks like, and how stressful it can be for everyone involved. Many people with Asperger Syndrome have been taught to control their breathing with these methods. Being able to maintain control of themselves in a moment of anxiety can be a great accomplishment.

Diseases such as COPD and asthma deal very directly with breathing, and this fast-shallow-to-deep-slow breathing exercise can help increase their lung capacity. Any time a COPD patient sees their doctor, they will be checked for their oxygen saturation levels. If there is a low level of oxygen in their blood, they run the risk of being hospitalized right away.

Most people only take in shallow breaths to their lungs, but when one takes breath in all the way to their diaphragm, it better oxygenates the blood. This deeper level of breathing allows for a greater saturation of oxygen into the bloodstream due to the fact that there are more shallow blood vessels in the diaphragm than in the lungs. This allows a great deal more oxygen into the blood stream, much like when one yawns.

For many facing serious illness, finding the right treatment means a balance between traditional medicine and a holistic approach. There are a few holistic MDs out there, but they are few and hard to find. When facing life-threatening illness, one must become their own case manager in order to find the treatments that will best work for them.




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