An interview with Mobil Krankenkasse. You can find the original interview here.
We usually pay little attention to our breath – after all, we breathe automatically from birth. But are we breathing correctly? Expert Torsten Liem reveals how breathing exercises can achieve positive effects for health and well-being.
Most of our lives, we breathe in and out completely unconsciously. Sometimes, however, we feel our breath precisely. This often happens when it becomes scarce, for example, when we exert ourselves physically or are afraid of something. We asked experienced Hamburg osteopath, lecturer, and author Torsten Liem about the function of breathing and how to breathe correctly. In the interview, he also provided us with some effective exercises.Mobil Krankenkasse: Mr. Liem, breathing is vital – but what actually happens in the body during this process?Torsten Liem: The main function of breathing is gas exchange in the lungs. This means that during inhalation, oxygen from the air passes into the blood, while during exhalation, carbon dioxide is released from the blood into the exhaled air and the environment. This process is vital because many chemical reactions in the human body require oxygen. If there is not enough oxygen available, the brain and other organs suffer damage. From an osteopathic perspective, breathing serves to distribute vital oxygen throughout the organism via the cardiovascular system. Together, the respiratory and cardiovascular systems are the engine that keeps us alive. However, good respiratory movement has many other important functions – it also supports lymphatic flow in the body and acts as good drainage for the organs. In addition, there is internal respiration, which serves the cells for energy production. It depends on internal powerhouses, the mitochondria. These are tiny structures within a cell. They can be destroyed by stress, among other things.Mobil Krankenkasse: Which muscle groups are involved in breathing?Torsten Liem: Here, one must distinguish between the two phases of breathing. During inhalation, the inhaled air is distributed to the different parts of the lungs. This so-called ventilation does not occur through the lungs themselves, but through the respiratory muscles. The diaphragm and the intercostal muscles are primarily involved. The diaphragm moves downwards by contracting, pushing all underlying organs of the chest cavity into the abdominal space, so that our abdominal wall rises during inhalation. This is what we call abdominal breathing. The contraction of the intercostal muscles, in turn, causes the chest to expand laterally during inhalation, making them responsible for thoracic breathing. During exhalation, the aforementioned muscles relax, so that the lungs are passively compressed and air escapes from the alveoli. The abdominal muscles support this process. When we exert ourselves physically and in certain lung diseases, the accessory respiratory muscles in the neck, chest, and abdomen also become active.Mobil Krankenkasse: Is there a right and a wrong way to breathe?Torsten Liem: When at rest, one breathes correctly through the nose into the abdomen, so that the abdominal wall rises. Short and shallow thoracic breathing at rest is unfavorable because too little oxygen reaches the blood and thus the organs. This can lead to a whole range of problems such as poor concentration, headaches, exhaustion, and fatigue. In addition, if the internal organs are not sufficiently drained and moved by breathing, further symptoms such as gastrointestinal complaints may occur. Poor posture, for example, a slumped rounded back and shoulders pulled forward, also affects breathing. Instead of half a liter of air, less air then enters the lungs per breath.Mobil Krankenkasse: Can one learn to breathe correctly permanently?Torsten Liem: Yes, and since we breathe 10 to 15 times a minute, which is about 23,000 times a day, such breathing training is definitely worthwhile. Targeted breathing exercises are useful at the beginning. Eventually, the “new” breathing will become a habit. Conscious body movement and posture, as well as positive feelings, also improve breathing, which in turn benefits body, mind, and soul. Furthermore, it is important to breathe the right air. I recommend regular brisk walks in the forest, ideally three hours a week – this acts like a miracle health pill for the body. A final tip: Rinse your nose once or twice a week in the evening before going to bed with a nasal rinse to breathe more freely. To do this, dissolve nine grams of salt in one liter of lukewarm water. Mobil Krankenkasse: Which breathing exercise would you recommend?Torsten Liem: An easy exercise to practice, for example, is to breathe in and out deeply and briskly 10 to 30 times, then hold your breath for 30 to 60 seconds, and then continue breathing normally. This should be practiced regularly three to eight times a day. Studies have shown that breathing exercises with targeted, short-term oxygen deprivation can, among other things, increase oxygen uptake, improve blood sugar regulation and heart muscle function, lower blood pressure, and strengthen the immune system.¹ Extensive laughter also deepens breathing and is good for the psyche. Mobil Krankenkasse: How do the psyche and breathing influence each other, for example, during stress?Torsten Liem: Our breathing is usually unconsciously controlled by the respiratory center in the brainstem. Chronic stress often leads to tense, shallow, accelerated breathing, which occurs more in the chest than in the abdomen. Conversely, breathing can also influence stress reactions. Various types of interventions, such as yawning, muscle relaxation, or self-massage, lead to deeper breathing and thus to effective stress reduction. Pure breath observation and various breathing exercises can also have a positive effect on stress reactions.
Achieve Greater Well-being with Breathing Exercises
Breathing exercises can also be used specifically to achieve certain effects. Torsten Liem has revealed two exercises from his new book “The Osteopathy Self-Help Book”.Stress Reduction: Long Exhalation
- Adopt a stable, upright, and relaxed sitting posture. If sitting on a chair, both feet should have firm contact with the floor.
- Now breathe in and out calmly for five minutes. The exhalation should be twice as long as the inhalation. For example, count to four during inhalation and to eight during exhalation.
- You can perform this exercise in the morning and evening. For a lasting effect, practice it about six days a week for a period of six months.
More Vitality and Better Concentration: Breath Opener
- Preparation: Feet are parallel, shoulder-width apart. Knees are relaxed and slightly bent. Jaw and shoulders are relaxed. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. Eyes are slightly open. The tongue is gently placed behind the incisors against the palate.
- Step 1: Place your hands one on top of the other about 1.5 cm below the navel. As you inhale, bring your bent arms in front of your body with palms facing upwards, to about 10 cm above your head. As you exhale, bring your arms back to the starting position in front of your body with palms facing downwards.
- Step 2: As you inhale, bring your arms upwards in front of your body, palms facing up, fingers towards each other. As the movement progresses, place the backs of your hands together and point your fingers upwards. Then, in front of your forehead, turn your hands so that the palms first face each other and then forward, and extend your arms straight above your head. As you exhale, separate your hands, turn your palms outwards, and bring your slightly bent arms down in an arc to the sides. The palms initially face downwards and then backwards.
- Step 3: As you inhale, raise your arms sideways in an arc to shoulder height, then bend your elbows. The palms initially face forward and then turn upwards. Above the head, the arms form a kind of semicircle, with the fingers of both hands coming together and lightly touching. As you exhale, bring your bent arms down in front of your body with palms facing your body, returning to the starting position.
- Step 4: As you inhale, bring your bent arms in front of your body with palms facing upwards, to chest height. As you exhale, press your palms sideways against imaginary walls, then return your hands to the starting position. At the end of the exercise sequence, you can close your eyes for a moment and feel within yourself.
- Perform each of the four exercises three times.
Source:¹e.g., Study “Therapeutic potential of intermittent hypoxia: a matter of dose”More about breath and breathing in: Order The Osteopathy Self-Help Book directly from Amazon
