The Basics

On Balance believes in learning as the basis for self-discovery. When we truly grasp something, changes have a much better chance of lasting. So whilst this isn’t a science lesson let’s quickly understand the basics of our respiratory system.

Breathing is automatic but breathing in a beneficial way is something we may need to relearn. We were born breathing diaphragmatically but if you have suffered from stress, anxiety or trauma you may have lost the natural breathing talent that we were born with. We may breathe too fast, or breathe into our chest rather than our diaphragm. 

For a while, we thought that just the brain stem was stimulated through our breathing but recent research shows that many other areas in the brain are impacted by our breathing. This raises the possibility that particular breathing strategies may be used as a tool to help people to manage their thoughts, moods, and experiences.

The respiratory system is the network of organs and tissues that help you breathe. It includes your airways, lungs, and blood vessels. The muscles that power your lungs are also part of the respiratory system. These parts work together to move oxygen throughout the body and clean out waste gases like carbon dioxide.

The respiratory system has many functions besides helping you inhale and exhale.

- Allows you to talk and smell.

- Brings air to body temperature and moisturises it to the humidity level your body needs.

- Delivers oxygen to the cells in your body.

- Removes waste gases, including carbon dioxide, from the body when you exhale.

- Protects your airways from harmful substances and irritants.

Introduction