Simon Paul Ogden continues his series on health and wellbeing – Breathing for Performance.
How can controlling your breathing have a positive impact on your performance?
The art of breath
If you have been following my articles you will have noticed that the subject of habit has come up several times, especially the fact that habits, especially in movement, generally have a benefit to begin with – e.g. to minimise pain – but often cease to have a relevant purpose after the causal factor has vanished. So, here’s an interesting habit with some odd side effects – breathing through the mouth.
It’s a habit I have come across several times in people I have coached. I was once referred to an individual who had appeared nervous at an interview and failed his promotion panel. I met him. He was an ex-professional sports person and within a few minutes it was absolutely apparent he was not the nervous type as perceived by the board. He was, however, habitually breathing through the mouth……
How you breathe can impact personal performance
Breathing as a biological function is so natural to us that we rarely stop to consider it. Obviously, we all have to breathe in order to live. However, the efficiency of our breathing is so vital to our health, well-being and state of mind that it is worth exploring the mechanics involved and how inefficiencies in the way we breathe can affect our personal performance, our health, and the way in which others perceive us.
We inhale air to take in a vital form of nourishment – oxygen. We exhale to expel waste matter – principally carbon dioxide. Once we are born, breathing is the only way to supply our body and its various organs with the oxygen required for survival.
Breathing is under the subconscious autonomous control of the brain stem. Whilst we can consciously control our breathing, which we do primarily when we speak or purposely hold our breath, we cannot stop ourselves from breathing. The mechanism is regulated by the levels of carbon dioxide in the blood. Once this exceeds a certain level the instinctive reaction, generated by the brain stem, compels us to take a breath.
Oxygen is essential for the maintenance of the brain, nerves, glands and internal organs. We can do without food for weeks and without water for days, but without oxygen, we will die within a few minutes.
Keep your brain at peak mental capacity
The brain requires three times more oxygen than any other part of the body.
If it doesn’t get enough, the result is mental sluggishness, negative thoughts and depression, followed eventually with a decline in vision and hearing. Without oxygen brain cells start dying within four minutes. Lack of oxygen in the heart causes coronaries. Lack of oxygen to the brain causes strokes. Oxygen is essential for healthy living and for effective performance in all aspects of our lives.
The amount of air we introduce to our lungs is important for effective speech. The quality and the volume of the sound made is dependent on the amount of breath we have available to expel. The amount we have available to expel is in a direct ratio to the amount of air we have inhaled.
If the breathing is ineffective the meaning of our communication may get lost as others are detracted from what we are saying.
The total capacity of our lungs is between 4 to 6 litres. In a ‘normal’ breath an individual will take in around .3 to .5 litres. The volume of air that can actually exchange in a deep breath is between 3 to 5 litres – 1 litre of residual air always remains in the lungs to keep them partially inflated. It is believed that most of us now only use our lungs to between ten to thirty per cent of their natural capacity and there has been an increase in certain breathing disorders and lung diseases.
The reason that many of us have developed poor breathing habits are the result of live style changes over the last forty years and the move towards more sedentary jobs, working indoors where the air quality is poor. This has an impact on our performance and wellbeing not only because of the increase in breathings disorders but also because these habits reduce our ability
- to cope with stress
- increase levels of anxiety
- impacts on our immune system
- promotes muscular skeletal problems (most notably back pain)
- and reduces our analytical capabilities.
So why is breathing through the mouth a problem?
The natural organic way to breathe is through the nose; it moistens and warms the air. Hairs inside the nostrils trap pollutants such as dust particles, most germs and protects the lungs. Air exhaled through the nose re-absorbs moisture. Breathing through the nose engages the diaphragm more effectively encouraging a deeper breath and a more effective transfer of air into oxygen.
Whilst occasionally we may need to breathe in through the mouth the process itself is subconsciously related to stress and anxiety – this is why some people get a dry mouth when they are nervous about speaking in public. Try taking five breaths in and out through the mouth – notice how it makes you feel. Now do the same but breathe in and out through the nose – quite different isn’t it.
The interview panel assumed my client was nervous because of the way in which he breathed. In reality, he had developed the habit of breathing through the mouth as a young teenager – he had nasal polyps. They were removed but the habit had become ingrained so he continued breathing through the nose.
Think about it – how do you breathe?
Paul is always interested in hearing about people’s experience, so if you would like to discuss your personal experiences or to find out how to apply the Felenkrais Method to your work please email nina.taylor@performgreen.co.uk who will connect you with Paul.
Read more from the Paul Simon Ogden series on health & wellbeing
- How curious am I? Understanding Self Image
- How to reach peak performance at work
- Why health & wellbeing is critical to improving business performance
For more details about The Feldenkrais Method for Executive Coaches, Managers, and Business Leaders follow the link http://www.routledge.com/9781138230910
Perform Green has also recently welcomed Gavin Beckett join as Chief Innovation & Research Officer, you can read some of his thought leadership series below:
Creating a model for Local Government as a Platform
From Smart Cities to Smart Societies — The Story so Far
Can We Still Talk about Digital Transformation?
In other news:
Bristol wins Smartest City in the UK 2017
Perform Green Leads Smart Operations Centre Success