Can breathing improve your digestive problem?

Kat H Author

Breathing is promoted at a possible panacea for everything, including digestive health issues. But does it really help?

Open any newspaper or blog and you learn that breathing is the panacea for all ills. Breathing seems to be the remedy for just about everything: our lymphatic health, blood pressure, stress, anxiety and depression, chronic pain and, of course, digestive health. However, most of these articles do not just refer to any breathing.... They generally advise deep belly breathing. So, is deep, diaphragmatic breathing really the best breath for all digestive health conditions? 

Well that depends! If deep belly breathing is comfortable it can support a calm state of mind which always benefits our digestion and for some conditions deep breathing is particularly beneficial:

Those suffering from constipation and constipation-dominant irritable bowel syndrome are often advised to practice deep breathing because it massages our digestive organs and releases tension in the abdomen and pelvic floor. 

Anyone with inflammatory bowel disease might find that deep abdominal breathing relieves their symptoms as it has also been shown to lower stress-related inflammation.

Digestive health issues related to lymph might also improve with diaphragmatic breathing as breathing help to pump lymph and thereby supports our lymphatic health.

But what if deep breathing feels uncomfortable or even causes pain?

Deep belly breathing might feel uncomfortable for some digestive health conditions. Whilst breathing might still benefit these conditions you should never work into pain or discomfort. That would have the opposite effect. 

Gas and Bloating

Diaphragmatic belly breathing benefits bloating and gas, especially if the main cause is slow transition time or poor lymphatic health. However, some people with bloating and gas the gut find deep breathing breathing too uncomfortable and even painful.

Acid Reflux

Deep breathing can help to release tension in the diaphragm and the stomach area. It also improves vagal tone and helps with stress and anxiety.  However, acid reflux can cause shortness of breath in some people and deep breathing might just not be possible.

Diarrhoea

If diarrhoea is caused by stress or anxiety breathing may be helpful. Ditto in cases of "overflow diarrhoea", that is diarrhoea that can happen if we have been constipated for a while and the body suddenly releases the stool - a bit like a burst pipe reaction. However, anyone with or who is worried about diarrhoea might not want to massage and stimulate the digestive tract. Deep breathing might stimulate the gut too much or there might be pain and discomfort.

Emotional reasons 

Diaphragmatic breathing can support the nervous system and release muscular and emotional tension. It has been shown to help anxiety, depression and stress. And yet, some people simply find deep breathing emotionally very uncomfortable. It might be the breathing itself or it might be difficult to let go of abdominal tension. It might increase a sense of vulnerability and cause stress and anxiety.

So can you still get the benefit of breathing without deep belly breathing?

Absolutely. Meditation, mindfulness and mindful movement practices, such as Feldenkrais, restorative yoga, Tai Chi or Chi Gong, can be beneficial if deep belly breathing doesn't work for you. There are also other breathing practices that may work. It took me several years before I could breathe deeply into my belly with ease.

Breathing has really been my greatest challenge. Before I started my Feldenkrais training I was a very shallow breather with digestive health issues. Despite being a Yoga teacher I was unable to breathe deeply. It took me a few years before I found deep belly breathing emotionally comfortable. Yet, even though I wasn't really able to breathe deeply into my abdomen for some years and I found it difficult to release my muscular tension, my digestion started to improve very quickly when I started Feldenkrais. I think it was mainly due to the fact that I focused on ease and pleasure of breathing. I definitely benefited from Feldenkrais but there are many other ways to find your breath, for example, singing, laughing or even watching a sunset that takes your breath away. All of these can improve your breathing and release tension!

If you are curious about Feldenkrais you will find many Feldenkrais lessons that benefit your breathing but that don't focus on that lower belly area; lessons that calm your nervous system as effectively as deep belly breathing and that offer the same benefits as those listed above for belly breathing. You might even find that after these lessons your breathing has naturally become deeper but without effort and without aggravating your health condition.

Of course, we also have lessons that gently guide you towards deep belly breathing in Feldenkrais. Here is an audio recording of one of these lessons: 

https://www.podbean.com/ep/pb-...

If you try this or any other Feldenkrais lessons, remember that the goal is not to "achieve" but instead to notice tension and habitual patterns and to free ourselves from those habits that don't serve us.

Remember that in Feldenkrais you should never push beyond your level of comfort. Quite the opposite! If we stay within our zone of comfort and pleasure, our nervous system tends to relax. That makes everything easier - maybe it even makes the impossible possible.

In Feldenkrais (and life!), rest regularly. Resting allows your nervous system to relax but also to learn. If you take it easy, you might find that eventually deep belly breathing becomes possible for you. It might even become pleasurable. And if it doesn't, let it go and do a different lesson!

Would you like to work with me?

If you are interested to work with me, I offer one-to-one classes as well as courses.

If want to get in touch to find out more or would like to book a private one-to-one session you can contact me by filling in this form.

In one-to-one sessions, we can develop an individual plan to support your digestive health and lymphatic system. This plan can include movement and lifestyle coaching, including sleep restoration and relaxation techniques.

I also occasionally run a 5 week digestive health course that combines Feldenkrais movement with Yoga wellbeing therapeutic approaches. These models of wellness help us understand our triggers and help to change behaviour, release stress and guide us to return to full health. If you are interested to join my next 5 week course, join my digestive health mailing list. I will only contact you, if I plan to run another digestive health course.

My qualifications: I am a Feldenkrais practitioner, a Yoga and Chi Gong teacher with special training in digestive health. With a background as a medical herbalist, I am trained to understand the complexities of the digestive system. I also have specialist qualifications in women's intimate health (intimate pelvic health can affect digestion), lymphatic health and osteoporosis (digestive issues can be related to bone health).

Please remember that digestive health issues can have serious underlying causes. So please seek medical advice too as early as possible for a diagnosis of your condition. Complementary therapies can support all digestive conditions but for serious health issues you will need conventional medical treatment as well.

Categories: : digestive health, lymphatic health