Most animals modulate their breath to match movement patterns. When they move, their breath volume increases; when they relax, the volume drops.
Humans are really quite different. All our speech occurs on the out breath; we modulate breath volume not just to move, but to speak as well.
The picture is even more complex when you consider the role that speech plays in our lives. Emotions are bundled into what we say and how we say it. In this way, our breath is linked pretty directly to our emotions.
Think about it: muscular control determines the length of the out breath. Muscular control also embeds speech into the emerging air. Muscles grow to use – how they are used influences their form, structure and capability. It’s clear that emotions really do get embedded into the body’s physical structure and nowhere is this more direct than with how we breathe. In some cases, we can’t even say what we feel (for various reasons). The muscles of breath are inhibited (prevented from firing adequately). It’s important to realise that adaptations to muscle structure and function will affect all breathing all the time to at least some degree, not just breathing when stressed etc.
Poor breathing patterns have a connection with depression through several physiological and psychological mechanisms:
- Oxygen and Brain Function: Inadequate breathing means lower oxygen levels in the brain, which can impair its function. Since the brain governs mood and emotions, poor breathing can contribute to symptoms of depression.[1]
- Stress Response: Poor breathing patterns like shallow breathing enhance the stress response, increasing cortisol levels. Chronic stress is a known risk factor for developing depression.[2]
- Impact on Sleep: Improper breathing, especially during sleep (like in sleep apnea), can disrupt sleep. Sleep disturbances have a well-documented link with increased depression risk.[3]
- Mind-Body Connection: Breathing exercises (a core component for Yoga and Hot Yoga) have been shown to help alleviate symptoms of depression.[4]
Lots of Yogafurie newcomers have long practice histories at other Bristol venues. The one thing new people tell me consistently is: they had never really learned to breathe until coming to Yogafurie. The combination of heat and our attention to detail means even some of Bristol’s most experienced Yogis learn a new level of breath awareness when they practise with us. And the one thing that long-term Yogafurie Yogis tell me consistently is: practice helps them manage stress levels and maintain their overall mental health.
I think there’s a clear relationship to highlight here. Yogafurie Hot Yoga – thanks to the heat and our careful teaching – improves your breathing. And if you stay with your practice, your mental health is more secure. Better breathing = better mental health – exactly the point made in the discussion and study references above.
Of course, you can work with your breath in a variety of environments. It doesn’t even have to be Yoga: breathing exercises can be done by anyone, anywhere. But to get the most consistent effect, you need to have a good instructor… and heat really helps as well. Why does heat help? Well, here’s a few more physiological reasons, and some references for you to follow up if you want to read more.
Moving in hot conditions places an additional load on your breath capacity, over and above what you would experience with the same movement at room temperature.
- Increased Metabolic Rate: When you move in the heat, your body works harder to cool itself, further increasing your metabolic rate and the need for oxygen.[5]
- Thermoregulation: The body tries to maintain a stable internal temperature through processes like sweating and increased blood flow to the skin. The redistribution of blood reduces the blood flow to other organs, including respiratory organs. Your breath must work harder again to meet the oxygen demands of the body.[6]
- Increased Heart Rate: Heat and exercise both raise your heart rate, increasing blood circulation. Breath increases to match increased circulation with sufficient oxygen.[7]
- Efficiency of Breathing: Heat makes the body’s way of exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide less efficient. This inefficiency is mitigated by breath control through movement – a key feature of Yogafurie classes.[8]
References
- Oxygen and Brain Function:
- Gaul, C., Diener, H. C., & Danesch, U. (2016). Improvement of migraine symptoms with a proprietary supplement containing riboflavin, magnesium and Q10: A randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter trial. The Journal of Headache and Pain, 16, 516. This study highlights how brain function, influenced by nutritional and physiological factors like oxygen levels, can impact mood disorders such as depression.
- Stress Response:
- Jerath, R., Edry, J. W., Barnes, V. A., & Jerath, V. (2006). Physiology of long pranayamic breathing: Neural respiratory elements may provide a mechanism that explains how slow deep breathing shifts the autonomic nervous system. Medical Hypotheses, 67(3), 566-571. This paper discusses how breathing techniques can influence the autonomic nervous system and stress response, which are linked to depression.
- Impact on Sleep:
- Wheatley, J. R., & Williams, G. (2005). Simple, practical, and effective measures of sleepiness and fatigue in sleep apnea. Sleep and Breathing, 9(1), 53-59. This study explores the impact of respiratory issues like sleep apnea on sleep quality, which is closely tied to depression.
- Mind-Body Connection:
- Brown, R. P., & Gerbarg, P. L. (2005). Sudarshan Kriya Yogic breathing in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression: Part I-neurophysiologic model. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 11(1), 189-201. This article explains how yogic breathing practices can impact mental health, including depression, by enhancing relaxation and reducing stress.
- Increased Metabolic Rate:
- Nybo, L. (2010). Hyperthermia and fatigue in humans: origins, mechanisms, and consequences. Progress in Neurobiology, 91(3), 210-217. This study discusses how increased body temperature from exercise in heat raises metabolic demands, thereby increasing the need for oxygen and influencing fatigue.
- Thermoregulation:
- González-Alonso, J., Crandall, C. G., & Johnson, J. M. (2008). The cardiovascular challenge of exercising in the heat. Journal of Physiology, 586(1), 45-53. This article explains the body’s thermoregulatory responses to exercise in the heat, including increased blood flow to the skin and its effects on other systems like the respiratory system.
- Increased Heart Rate:
- Périard, J. D., Cramer, M. N., Chapman, P. G., Caillaud, C., & Thompson, M. W. (2011). Cardiovascular strain impairs prolonged self-paced exercise in the heat. Experimental Physiology, 96(2), 134-144. This paper examines how the cardiovascular system, including heart rate, is affected by heat stress during exercise, impacting overall respiratory demands.
- Efficiency of Breathing:
- Powers, S. K., & Howley, E. T. (2012). Exercise Physiology: Theory and Applications to Fitness and Performance. This textbook provides insights into the physiology of exercise and the additional respiratory load caused by heat stress, particularly how it affects the efficiency of gas exchange.
