The Science of Breathing, Anxiety and the Spine
How often has a physician even observed your breathing or offered you advice on how to correct dysfunctional breathing patterns, never mind optimize your breathing? And, how often has an MD addressed your nervous system from a functional perspective and questioned the role of your spine in causing or perpetuating issues like anxiety?
When it comes to a condition like anxiety there is an underlying imbalance in the Autonomic Nervous System. This imbalance is the same one present in the vast majority of chronic degenerative diseases.
Our modern life with all its conveniences repeatedly activates the Sympathetic Nervous System. This is the division of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) that is called the “fight or flight” system. When this system is activated it turns down body processes tasked with long term well being and prioritizes short term survival.
Over time this imbalance leads to a condition called Sympathetic Dominance where the sympathetic system progressively inhibits the Vagus Nerve of the Parasympathetic System.
WHAT DOES BREATHING HAVE TO DO WITH THIS?
Breathing has been called the portal to the ANS. Dysfunctional breathing has been shown to over activate the Sympathetic System. Since we breathe 24/7/365 this becomes an ever increasing problem over time.
Dysfunction breathing was shown in a Australian study to affect up to 83% of people with anxiety. The reality is that if your breathing is not proper you will have difficulty getting your anxiety under control.
IS IT THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG?
The eternal question of what comes first and what causes what. Do dysfunctional breathing patterns bring on anxiety or does anxiety precede the dysfunctional breathing. Research seems to indicate that breathing changes can be the result of anxiety as well as a trigger for anxiety.
What seems likely is that once your breathing is dysfunctional and triggers the sympathetic system it becomes easier and easier for this to happen. There is a principle in neurology…
“Neurons that fire together, wire together”
The more often anxiety and dysfunctional breathing occur the more they become linked. It is certain that improper breathing greatly exacerbates anxiety. Have you ever witnessed someone having a full blown panic attack? Their breathing becomes extremely rapid and shallow and yet they can’t catch their breath.
THE VAGUS NERVE
The Vagus Nerve of the parasympathetic branch promotes rest, relaxation, and recovery. Breathing has a powerful influence on which branch of the ANS is more activated.
Shifting how you breathe and learning specific practices can quickly and easily shift you from sympathetic activation to parasympathetic or vagus nerve activation. This has the power to quickly shift you from a state of stress, tension, and anxiety to one of calm and ease.
This study shows the power of breathwork to impact emotional regulation.
The Carbon Dioxide Connection
Breathing’s effect on anxiety is illustrated by its impact on blood chemistry. When breathing is rapid, shallow, and in the upper chest it causes a lowering of blood carbon dioxide (CO2). Low CO2 activates the sympathetic system and reduces the uptake of O2 and the delivery of O2.
Dysfunctional breathing lowers the blood concentration of CO2 and increases the sensitivity to CO2. This creates a self-perpetuating reaction of more shallow and rapid breathing. Research found that anxiety sufferers have a reduced tolerance for CO2 in their blood.
Other studies have shown that anxiety or anticipation of a panic attack triggers ineffective breathing patterns like increased breathing rate and mouth breathing. This only aggravates the problem by further decreasing CO2 tolerance.
Increased CO2 levels further reduce CO2 tolerance that can more easily trigger anxiety. They have studied this in studies by giving people with panic disorders CO2 to inhale. Those people experienced more anxiety than those without a panic disorder.
People with anxiety or panic disorders live in a chronic state of low level hyperventilation. This stimulates a sympathetic response that can easily trigger anxiety or panic.
THE ROLE OF THE SPINE
Both the Vagus Nerve of the parasympathetic system and the sympathetic division have an intimate relationship with the spine. The Vagus Nerve travels right in front of the top bones in the neck. The sympathetic system runs right along the spine in the mid and lower back.
Any misalignments of the spine can easily put pressure and tension on these delicate nerves. This pressure seems to have opposite effects. The Vagus Nerve is often inhibited or lowered in its function while the sympathetic system’s activity is raised.
This is exactly what is found in Anxiety.
THE SOLUTION TO ANXIETY
- Corrective Chiropractic Care
First order is to remove any irritation to the ANS by restoring alignment and balance to the pelvis and spine. This is the specialty of Corrective Chiropractic. Traditional chiropractic is more concerned with restoring motion without attention to alignment and balance.
- Vagus Nerve Activation Practices
Once the source of irritation is corrected more attention needs to be placed on improving Vagus Nerve function. This is done in a variety of ways:
- Correct Dysfunctional Breathing: primarily learning diaphragmatic and nasal breathing.
- Conscious Breathing Practices to activate and tonify the Vagus Nerve.
If you are ready to overcome your anxiety and panic and live in Nevada County consider scheduling a visit with Life Chiropractic of Grass Valley. You can schedule your initial visit here: Schedule Here
About Dr. Berkowitz
Bringing more than 3 decades of practice experience, Dr. Bill Berkowitz focuses on balancing and corrective care, applying his expertise to provide patients with predictable, repeatable and measurable results.
Dr. Bill consistently strives to enhance the well-being of his patients by addressing the root imbalances of their problems and promoting optimal balance, alignment, and function of the spine and nervous system.
Bill’s wealth of knowledge and experience has allowed him to develop a nuanced understanding of the human body and its intricate connections. With each adjustment, he supports the body in returning to a state of balance that goes beyond mere symptom relief, focusing instead on long-term correction for his patients’ well-being.