Are You a Shallow Breather? Signs and Simple Fixes
Stress, long hours of sitting and tight clothes can all make us breathe high and fast. Here is how to notice it, and how to breathe lower and slower.
Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
Many people breathe high in the chest, fast and shallow, without noticing. It often happens when we are stressed, hunched over a screen or rushing all day.
Signs you may be breathing shallowly
- Your shoulders rise when you breathe in.
- You sigh or yawn often.
- You feel you can't take a satisfying deep breath.
- Your chest moves much more than your belly.
These signs can also have medical causes. If you feel short of breath, have chest pain or your breathing has changed suddenly, see a doctor.
Check your breath now
Put one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Breathe normally. Which hand moves more? Many stressed people notice the chest hand moving most.
Simple fixes
- Belly breathing: lie on your back with a hand on your belly. Breathe in gently through your nose and let the belly rise under your hand. Breathe out slowly and let it fall. Keep it soft, not forced.
- Sit tall: slumping squeezes the belly and makes low breathing harder. Every hour, sit up, drop your shoulders and take three slow breaths.
- Loosen up: tight belts and waistbands can limit the belly's movement.
- Slow the out-breath: longer, slower exhales help the next in-breath come in naturally lower.
Practice a little, often
Two minutes of belly breathing, a few times a day, is enough to start building a new habit.
