Respiratory Problems
Breathing
Normal, healthy breathing patterns which produce balanced body chemistry are the basic requirements for good health.
But what is normal, healthy breathing?- It should be slow - 10/12 breathes per minute at rest
- It should be small, quiet breaths
- It should be breathing down into the stomach
- It should not involve excessive sighing, yawning or trying to 'catch your breath'
If your breathing is not like this, something is amiss.
Breathing patterns can change and bad habits develop, e.g. breathing too fast and too high in the chest. This is not correct and can produce many diverse unpleasant symptoms because the balance of chemicals in the body changes as oxygen and carbon dioxide levels change.
Changing breathing habits is not easy but can be achieved with guidance.
Individuals with respiratory disease such as asthma, bronchiectasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can achieve a remarkable improvement in their quality of life as they learn to use their lungs to the optimum level and capacity.