TOTraining your breathing is not only useful for those suffering from asthma or respiratory diseases. In these cases, pulmonologists recommend carrying out respiratory physiotherapy exercises every day for expand lung capacity and therefore the function of inflamed bronchi and lungs. The exercises, however, are indicated for everyone, including athletes.
What do you need to know to make the respiratory system work as best as possible and thus enjoy all the benefits that this entails on all the other organs and on longevity? We talked about it with Doctor Alberto Cerasarthe, Specialist Doctor in Sports and Exercise Medicine, Medical Director and Longevity Doctor at SoLongevity Clinic.
Why does correct breathing help health, athletic performance and even good aging?
Breathing is essential for survival andhomeostasis. It ensures the supply of oxygen to the tissues and the elimination of carbon dioxide, regulating the pH and supporting function cardiovascular. Furthermore, it contributes to thermoregulationat the phonationat the immune defense and to metabolic function. Respiration is also involved in the conversion of angiotensin, a peptide hormone that stimulates vasoconstriction and increases blood pressure.
And then it is involved in the mobilization of body fluids and in the adaptation of the body to different environmental conditions such as physical exercise. Deep breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, reducing chronic inflammation (a factor associated with aging). Additionally, it improves heart rate variability, a marker of longevity and well-being.
How does breathing change as we age?
Aging leads to physiological changes in the respiratory system, which can be further influenced by lifestyle, environment and the possible presence of pathological conditions. From a physiological point of view, as age advances, the lung structure loses elasticitywith dilation of the alveoli and reduction of elastic return. The peripheral airways deteriorate, causing a uneven ventilation.
How to train your breathing to feel better and age healthily (Getty Images)
Respiratory muscles, including the diaphragm, may lose mass and contractile strength, compromising respiratory mechanics and reducing volumes and air flows. The rib cage stiffens, leading to kyphosis and affecting breathing. The efficiency of gas exchange also decreases with age.
These changes, although natural, can be accelerated by smoking, exposure to dust, respiratory infections and low birth weight. The presence of pathologies can further impact the reduction of respiratory function.
Shortness of breath and stress: what are the reasons?
THEShortness of breath is often a physiological response to stress. When the body perceives a threat (even psychological), the sympathetic nervous system is activated. Stress therefore induces a shallow chest breathing to prepare the body for the “fight or flight” reaction. This leads to inefficient oxygenation, accumulation of carbon dioxide and hyperventilation which overloads the muscles responsible for breathing, which are only 15% of the skeletal muscles and so they tire sooner than they should, resulting in breathlessness.
Cascading effects: shortness of breath fuels the stress response, increasing cortisol levels, promoting muscle tension. Furthermore, the fascial component of the not only respiratory muscle chains is retracted, inducing tachycardia and sleep disorders.
How can breathing be used against physical and mental pain?
Breathing is a powerful tool that can positively influence both physical and mental pain. They exist specific ancient and modern techniques, of Eastern and Western cultures that use the same principles.
In a scientific work great similarities are highlighted between the breathing techniques of the Ave Maria in Latin and the yoga mantra with a meeting of cultures that are so distant but which arrive at the same conclusion: the stimulation of the vagal reflex which leads to the reduction of stress.
Meditation and breathing
Voluntarily we can, accompanied by numerous techniques, slow down our breathing, making it deeper and having very effective responses for meditation. Here are the benefits of controlled breathing.
Reduce physical pain
Breathing deeply stimulates the vagus nerve And reduces the transmission of pain signals to the brain. Furthermore, it increases oxygenation and muscle relaxation.
Relieve mental pain
Techniques like diaphragmatic breathing or pranayama they regulate the parasympathetic nervous system, decreasing anxiety, depression and stress. Breathing helps to break vicious cycles of psycho-physical tension.
The specific disciplines
Yoga, Pilates and meditation incorporate breathing to increase body awareness, reduce emotional arousal and improve mental resilience, while also incorporating specific stretches of certain muscle chains.
How to learn to breathe more functionally?
Correct breathing starts from one re-education of the diaphragmwhich acts both on the quality of breathing and on a series of other activities such as digestive and pelvic floor activities. When the diaphragm is too strong and not very mobile, it retracts and an unpleasant sensation is felt, with implications on the functions described above. It will be useful to carry out a re-education program aimed at improving his mobility by also acting on the muscle chains that limit him with certain benefits on posture.
Breathing techniques
To this diaphragmatic reprogramming activity, we will add a teaching of breathing techniques based on biofeedback tools and useful exercises to govern the respiratory rhythm. The most appropriate re-education plan will range from Functional Respiratory Stretching, which will have the task of giving space to the respiratory muscles, stimulated to achieve good coordination, up to specific resistance training which will allow the complete respiratory act to be repeated for several minutes. delaying the breathlessness. It is also good to iintegrate breathing exercises with relaxation activities, stretching, meditation or other methods.
What is SpiroTiger, who can it benefit and why is it good for you?
SpiroTiger® is a device for training the respiratory muscles that allows you to improve resistance for several minutes at respiratory rates above 20 breaths per minute. It is based on cyclical breathing against resistance, training in particular the diaphragm and all the respiratory accessory muscles.
Unlike all other training devices that are based on increasing strength, SpiroTiger® is the only one breathing gymnastics system that specifically trains the resistance of the respiratory musclestaking away breathlessness, without overloading the cardiovascular system and the musculoskeletal system (RMET/isocapnic hyperpnea). Furthermore, functional training of breathing skills improves coordination, posture and mobility of the spine.
Voluntarily we can, accompanied by numerous techniques, slow down breathing, making it deeper and having very effective responses for meditation.
Who is it for?
Breathing well is good for everyone! In particular there are some more sensitive targets.
Athletes: improves aerobic capacity and delays the mechanism of breathlessness and also muscle fatigue.
Patients with respiratory diseases: such as COPD or asthma, to improve lung function.
Elderly people: maintains the resistance performance of the respiratory muscles (at least six minutes), reducing the risk of lung infections.
Stressed people: helps regulate breathing rhythm and promotes relaxation.
Why is it good?
Improves lung vital capacity, increases muscle endurance and reduces lung hyperinflation, the trapping of air in the lungs, resulting from the difficulty of the pulmonary airways to expel the air, due to the presence of an obstruction.
Where can I find treatment with SpiroTiger and who should I contact?
There are several specialized breathing centers that adopt the SpiroTiger and have been adequately trained in the method. The panorama is well distributed in respiratory rehabilitation centers, physiotherapy, sports medicine, as well as numerous sports professionals, singing and sports science universities. In SoLongevity Clinic we have further developed its application by combining the evaluation and treatment phase with other methods such as diagnostics with spirometry And VO2max and the osteopathic treatment, for an overall increase in its effectiveness.
For more info: https://solongevity.com/clinica/training-del-respiro/.
An appointment on the theme of breathing
To delve deeper into the topic of breathing and its importance in everyone’s health, including athletes, but also the elderly and people with respiratory diseases, the SoLongevity Clinic organized an event open to all and also online in which experts will answer participants’ questions. Appointment on January 30, 2025 at 6.30pm/8pmlive start at 7pm.
Title of the meeting: “The art of breathing: the science to re-educate a natural gesture”. Speakers: Doctor Alberto Cerasari, Longevity Doctor and sports doctor, Selenia Vitellozzi, osteopath, Dario Morelli, trainer and breathing specialist.
For more info: https://solongevity.com/clinica/incontri_in_clinica/training_del_respiro/
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