Slow Breathing for Increased Circulation and Immunity


How we breathe is more important than we realize. A big component of singing lessons is teaching singers how to breathe properly. But beyond helping singers more effectively use their voice, proper breathing holds many benefits for one's mood and one's health.

For example, when children have temper tantrums, getting them to breathe through the nose can help them calm down. (Of course, it's a good idea to teach them this skill before they are well into a tantrum.) Breathing through the nose also prevents people from hyperventilating, a major cause of fainting.

The director of a biofeedback clinic once told me he'd stopped using equipment to train his patients; all he needed to do was teach them to practice diaphragmatic breathing. This technique alone lowered the blood pressure, slowed down the heart rate, and brought his patients the benefits of most biofeedback techniques.

The Link Between Circulation, Blood Pressure, and Immunity
Many people have cold hands and cold feet, and this condition is not merely uncomfortable—it's also a sign of bad circulation. Circulation is what we mean when we talk about Xue Qi (pronounced "she-ah chee" and meaning "blood" and "energy flow"). Poor circulation is related to high blood pressure and will lower the body's immunity. When the body cannot push blood through the arteries, the pressure builds up. When blood does not flow well, white blood cells cannot go where they are needed to defend the body. The white blood cells are core to our immune system. They are our key defense against viruses, cancer cells, infections, and other illnesses.

Three Methods for Improving Circulation
Several practices are effective for improving circulation, and include:

• Aerobic exercise
• Relaxation
• Slow breathing

Most people already know about aerobic exercise, so I won't elaborate.

As for relaxation, it allows the arteries to open up and actually lowers blood pressure. Relaxation is an important skill. Yoga classes often teach skills for relaxation, and there are probably similar classes in your area.

Slow breathing (which happens somewhat during any relaxation) changes blood chemistry, and the arteries open up. A good technique is to simply pay attention to your breath and slow it down during the day. Then set aside a few minutes per day and really slow your breath (see the technique described below). You will notice heat in your body with this exercise. It is instant proof that your circulation has improved.

Qi Gong
Qi Gong (pronounced "chee-gung") is a practice gaining more popularity in the U.S. It was developed by Taoists in China. It is very similar to yoga from India. My Qi Gong teacher told me there used to be a number of yogis from India in the ancient monastery he came from, Hua Shan in China. There were thousands of caves in the monastery, and each person residing in the caves had a unique style of practice but would exchange knowledge regularly.

Qi Gong has many forms, styles, and varieties. One of the varieties practices slow breathing. My Qi Gong teacher breathes with a 6-minute cycle: inhaling once over 3 minutes and exhaling once over 3 minutes. In Western medicine, doctors consider about 16 breaths per minute normal. This "normal" rate of 16 breaths per minute borders on hyperventilation. A common cause of fainting in shopping malls, etc. is hyperventilation. There is no advantage to breathing 16 times per minute.

However, when a person slows down to one breath per minute, he or she often experiences warmer hands and feet and much improved circulation. Slow breathing also improves lung capacity and opens up the airways.

Food for thought: Some yoga teachers think we are allowed only a certain number of breaths in life. When a person breathes fast, the person reaches his or her quota sooner and so dies earlier.

Technique for Learning Slow Breathing
My friend has cold hands and cold feet. I showed her this technique, which she found helpful and so might you.

All you have to do is find a relaxing space and slow down your breathing. A goal could be trying to slow your breathing to 4 complete breaths (inhaling and exhaling) over the course of one minute. This may sound unreasonable, but the human body can comfortably survive with such a breathing rate; there is no harm when you slow down breathing. You will not be able to immediately meet this goal, and your body will let you know when you must inhale. But over time, it is actually quite easy.

Later you could work toward the rate of one complete breath over the course of 6 minutes, such as my Qi Gong teacher uses.


Summary
From the study of physiology, we know slow breathing opens up the arteries (or arterioles) and enhances circulation. That of course leads to a warmer, more comfortable body, and also drops the blood pressure. This increases blood flow, which boosts the body's immunity.

Of course, slow breathing requires a relaxed mental state, and relaxing alone will also help to warm the body.

—Dr. Chan


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