My Breath is My Power

Mouth Breathing Health Problems

My understanding of how profoundly the quality of my breath affects my health has grown over time. Some years ago, while sitting in my office on a particularly stressful day, I realized I was holding my breath. That moment of awareness scared me. I instinctively knew that holding my breath like that was not good for me.

What took longer for me to realize was that I had habituated a pattern of holding my breath while under a lot of stress or fear. I also had a habit of unconsciously mouth breathing. As a result, I slept poorly, suffered panic attacks, depression and had several other health problems. I am aware that there are other variables that also contributed to my health issues, however, my breathing patterns played a big role.

I didn’t immediately change my lifestyle, but that piece of awareness sat in the back of my mind, waiting. As I developed my yoga practice, I began focusing more on breathing. I got curious about my breathing patterns and started exploring breath work and meditation practices. I learned I could deepen my meditative state through breath work. I discovered I could improve my yoga practice by focusing on my breath. Then a considerable shift occurred when I was trekking in Nepal.

My Nasal Breathing AHA Experience

When I decided to go high altitude trekking in the Himalayas, I had two primary goals: 1) No injury. 2) Stay ahead of my breath. Staying ahead of my breath meant that I was always aware of my breath, always breathing through my nose, always engaged in diaphragmatic breathing. I discovered that exerting my body at a pace where I did not become winded, or experience air hunger supported my goal of avoiding injury. As I climbed in elevation, oxygen became less available, breathing became more and more important. 

The truth was that my breathing became the intense object of my focus through out each day. It was meditative. It was spiritual. It was also a practical tool that helped my body meet its need for oxygen, keeping my mind clear and focused so that I did not injure myself. My focus on avoiding injury and staying ahead of my breath allowed me to feel confident doing something I had never done before.

I still keep those ideas in mind as important priorities: no injury, stay ahead of my breath. Staying ahead of my breath keeps me calm in situations that used to be stressful. Focusing on my breath is like a secret magic trick. I can turn my internal state from stress and anxiety to calm and relaxed in a matter of moments. I can do it silently and unobtrusively. I can do it anywhere and at any time. I can do it sitting or standing or in any physical position or activity. I carry the best stress-relieving medicine inside of me, all the time.

Mouth Taping While Sleeping

Staying ahead of my breath also means I have to be mindful of the quality of my breath when I sleep. That poses a challege, what with being asleep. For years, I had been oblivious to being a mouth breather while I slept. I tried many different hacks to sleep better, but I still struggled to get deep, restful sleep. Finally, I began taping my mouth shut after reading James Nestor’s book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. The improvement in my sleep quality was immediate. I had spent years utilizing different sleep practices so that I could get a restful nights sleep. Many were helpful, but I was still consistently not getting restful sleep. Adding the practice of mouth taping was the missing piece of the puzzle for me. The differences in my mood, focus, sense of well being and overall health are impressive. 

I continue to recognize the power of my breath and prioritize breath work and nasal breathing. I am taking care of my breath, day and night. And my breath is taking care of me.

That is my Breath. That is my Power.
May you find the power of your breath.