What is Paradoxical Breathing?

Paradoxical breathing is certainly a bit of a contradiction.  In essence breathing is still occurring but the dysfunctional nature of this type of breathing is not providing for you what breathing should be providing for you and if left unchecked can have huge implications on health and long-term physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.

Paradoxical breathing is a type of dysfunctional breathing pattern. In regular, functional breathing, when we inhale, our diaphragm contracts and descends, drawing air into our lungs. When we breathe out our diaphragm returns to its resting position encouraging air out of the lungs.  An individual with a dysfunctional, paradoxical breathing pattern will experience the opposite, with the diaphragm moving upwards on the in breath and slightly downwards on the out breath.

Paradoxical breathing can often develop because of trauma. Perhaps you can relate to the feeling of this type of breathing pattern when you have a shock. You will undoubtedly gasp and pull up on the diaphragm, causing you to temporarily stop breathing.  In the short-term this is not an issue, however if this becomes the new way of breathing, then issues surrounding chest breathing and hyperventilation can begin to take hold.

The breath is the first message to the central nervous system that something is not quite right.  When the breath changes in response to a stimulus, the nervous system is immediately informed through the changes in the breath.  This sends a signal that the individual is in danger and as a result alerts the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system.  This branch ‘sympathises’ with the situation and initiates the fight, flight, freeze or fold response.  By breathing paradoxically this sympathetic branch of the nervous system will be activated 24/7 due to the fast, shallow breathing it is responding to.  The body will be in a state of tension and not surprisingly onset of fatigue will follow.

Muscle recruitment when adopting a dysfunctional breathing pattern is also hindered, with dysfunctional breathers recruiting the accessory muscles of the neck, chest and shoulders to do the work of the diaphragm and core stabilising muscles.  It is not unusual for dysfunctional breathers to suffer with neck and back pain, forward head posture and even weak pelvic floor function.

For the many suffering from anxiety and other stress related illnesses, paradoxical breathing could well be playing an integral part. But sadly, breathing can often go unchecked when searching for solutions. For many people this simply becomes their new normal as they struggle to make sense of the heightened anxiety, increase in sleep related issues and low energy.

So how can you test whether you are breathing using the diaphragm in a functional way? 

1. Lay down in a semi-supine position (on your back with knees bent)

2. Place one hand on your chest and one on your lower rib area

3. Breathe in and see which hand moves, the chest or the ribs.

If you find it difficult to take a breath down to the lower ribs without the chest moving, there may be reasonable evidence to suggest some dysfunctional or even paradoxical breathing traits.

Repeat the above practice and add the following:

4. Breathe in slow, low and through the nose.

5. Direct the breath down to the lower ribs and feel them move out gently under your hand, whilst pacifying the chest area.

6. Begin to lessen the amount of air you inhale, with the breath becoming more subtle.

7. Focus on a gentle inhale into the ribs and a gentle exhale from the ribs.

8.  Repeat for a few minutes.

Be careful not to over-breathe or tense the breathing muscles, just focus on a slow, low, and gentle breath in through the nose and down to the ribs.  Visualise the diaphragm muscle descending on the inhale and recoiling back to its resting ‘dome-like’ state on the exhale.

It may be very difficult at first to create any movement in the ribs, but all habits have to be gradually undone over time. So, keep practising and seek a consult with a Buteyko instructor to gain more specialised guidance, assessment and advice if required.

One-to-one consults are available NOW at Rise to Shine Wellbeing.