Functional Breathing Training
Breathe well for improved posture, focus, energy, athletic performance, and overall health.
How do I know if I need breathing training?
Do you frequently breathe through your mouth ?
We were designed to breathe predominantly through the nose. Not only does nasal breathing help with growing your ideal facial and airway structure by keeping the mouth closed. The nose filters out bacteria and germs, warms and moistens the air to prepare it for your body. Oxygen is an essential nutrient for our bodies and brain to work best . Breathing through the nose allows for 15% more oxygenation to the body than through the mouth, thanks in part to the magic molecule, Nitric Oxide that is produced in large quantities in the sinus cavities.
Breathing disfunction takes place at many levels from how your body is mechanically moving , your body chemistry to the psychological influences. Eliminating mouth breathing is one aspect of breathing that our integrative approach addresses. Through increasing awareness and incorporating simple breathing exercises into your life, you will learn how to improve your breathing .
Buteyko Breathing Method
The Buteyko Breathing Method is a physician-developed, holistic, drug-free way of improving body oxygenation and eliminating the harmful effects of over breathing or hyperventilation. Asthma, allergies, anxiety, digestive issues, snoring , poor academic and athletic performance and even weight gain are just a few of the signs and symptoms associated with breathing more than your body requires.
We utilize Buteyko techniques along with other integrative breathing training that works to improve functional breathing at all levels.
Breathing , Sleep and Relaxation
Four Phenotypes – A New View of Sleep Apnea
Traditionally, sleep apnea has been seen purely from an anatomical standpoint. But now three non-anatomical traits have been identified, and at least one of these is present in 69% of OSA patients (Eckert et al., 2013). Functional breathing training is known to offer significant benefits to each of these four phenotypes.
Insomnia – Not All In the Mind
Insomnia is an incredibly common problem, affecting between 25% and 50% of people worldwide. While it’s tempting to see the condition in terms of an overactive mind, research shows that both diaphragm breathing and slow breathing can benefit insomniacs by restoring autonomic balance.
Paced Breathing and the Vagus Nerve
A substantial body of research links slow paced breathing with vagus nerve stimulation. This gives many valuable insights into heart rate variability, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, blood pressure, optimum blood gas exchange, and more. There are far-reaching applications in terms of mental health, physical health, sporting performance, and potential.
Suspect you may have a breathing issue during sleep? Assess yourself and learn more with these resources :
Lamberg questionnaire pdf download
Foundation for Airway Health resources
A thorough airway evaluation is included in our myofunctional assessments
Breathing training for children
How you breathe affects how you look, feel, and function at any age, but breathing problems that disrupt sleep and contribute to crooked teeth may be avoided, if good breathing habits are established at a young age.
60% of facial growth occurs by age 6 and 90% by age 12 so keeping the mouth closed and breathing through the nose day and night is essential for proper airway and facial development. Myofunctional health and breathing go hand in hand. We make it fun for children to take charge and feel good by improving breathing function.
More on facial development and sleep breathing disorders from the Breathe Institute
Buteyko Clinic information on effects of mouth breathing