• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Advice for learning to breath more deeply?

Messages
70
This is a problem I am very lucky to have and I can't find advice on it...

I have been successfully treating my ME/CFS through mold avoidance and supplements, and incredibly it seemed to have worked on my exercise induced asthma as well. This was quite unexpected as I developed asthma in my early teens, way before I developed ME/CFS and I don't think they are connected.

I have been breathing shallowly my entire adult life in order to avoid triggering my asthma. I have been reading up on how to deepen my breathes, but most of it seems targeted at people who are already breathing normally. Has anyone gone through this? Does anyone have tips on how to train myself to breathe more deeply habitually as an adult?
 

CFS_for_19_years

Hoarder of biscuits
Messages
2,396
Location
USA
Are you able to swim? Try to hold your breath for a few seconds while doing the breaststroke or crawl. Instead of coming up for a breath when you normally would, hold it until you come up the next time, so that you are breathing every other stroke.

This will encourage you to forcibly exhale and take a larger breath when you come up for air and it will strengthen your chest muscles. I was a competitive swimmer and felt that my breathing was deeper at that time.

If you can't swim but have access to a pool try holding onto the ledge and bouncing up and down while inhaling and exhaling forcibly each time, and going deeper under water each time.

Good luck!
 

Dechi

Senior Member
Messages
1,454
I breathe very shallow too since I’ve had ME. I have been told some massage techniques can loosen the thoracic muscles and it is something I want to try,
 
Last edited:
Messages
70
Are you able to swim? Try to hold your breath for a few seconds while doing the breaststroke or crawl. Instead of coming up for a breath when you normally would, hold it until you come up the next time, so that you are breathing every other stroke.

This will encourage you to forcibly exhale and take a larger breath when you come up for air and it will strengthen your chest muscles. I was a competitive swimmer and felt that my breathing was deeper at that time.

If you can't swim but have access to a pool try holding onto the ledge and bouncing up and down while inhaling and exhaling forcibly each time, and going deeper under water each time.

Good luck!
Swimming would be great! I was a competitive swimmer in high school and then I was a lifeguard and recreational swimmer for years. It's amazing for learning to regulate your breath!

While I can physically swim now the smell of chlorine triggers my MCS so I can't go to a swimming pool. There aren't any public saltwater pools near me either. Maybe I need to befriend someone with a saltwater lap pool :)
 

Pearshaped

Senior Member
Messages
580
A lot of difficulty breathing here since ME. Atempts to breath more deeply have worsened my shallow breathing. what has helped me:
Dr.Myhill once wrote "short of breath? - breathe less!"
sounds ridiculous but it helpes me somewhat.put your hand on your belly and feel the small (dont try too hard) "up" and "down" movement.
 

Rufous McKinney

Senior Member
Messages
13,251
I know I breathe shallowly...and a symptom of this illness for years has been: anvil on chest. Something just makes breathing more labored.

I've started getting some heart racing stuff (the BCAA;s are helping that one)...and I noticed that if I just breathe more deeply while lying on the bed, helped to bring my heart rate down.

Perhaps its just another one of those things where one has to work at it....slow down the breathe and more diaphamatic breathing. Note to self: do so.
 

Rufous McKinney

Senior Member
Messages
13,251
This was online and I thought it was a rather helpful concept. Online is plenty of commentary on breathing more deeply, practicing, etc...

But here is a trick for- reminding yourself to notice your breathing....(and I know that I am often, when lying down, I hold my breathe, then take some lame gasping breathe in between)...

1. Create Recurring ”Breath Check Triggers”
Choose five naturally occurring triggers to remind you to become aware of your breath every day. Formulate them as “If → Then plans” and spread them out throughout your day. Here are a few examples:
  • If my alarm clock goes off → Then I will check my breathing.
  • If I’ve put the last dish in the dishwasher → Then I will check my breathing.
  • If I sit down at my desk → Then I will check my breathing.
  • If I close my car door → Then I will check my breathing.
  • If I turn off my bedroom light → Then I will check my breathing.
 

CFS_for_19_years

Hoarder of biscuits
Messages
2,396
Location
USA
Swimming would be great! I was a competitive swimmer in high school and then I was a lifeguard and recreational swimmer for years. It's amazing for learning to regulate your breath!

While I can physically swim now the smell of chlorine triggers my MCS so I can't go to a swimming pool. There aren't any public saltwater pools near me either. Maybe I need to befriend someone with a saltwater lap pool :)
I get it. The smell of chlorine is overpowering even for someone who is healthy. If you do swim, the smell stays in your hair and skin.
 
Messages
70
A lot of difficulty breathing here since ME. Atempts to breath more deeply have worsened my shallow breathing. what has helped me:
Dr.Myhill once wrote "short of breath? - breathe less!"
sounds ridiculous but it helpes me somewhat.put your hand on your belly and feel the small (dont try too hard) "up" and "down" movement.

Shallow breathing is so helpful when you can't breath deeply! Before I got sick I learned to breath shallowly while exercising when my lungs felt constricted! It was so much better than struggling to breath deeply.
 
Messages
70
This was online and I thought it was a rather helpful concept. Online is plenty of commentary on breathing more deeply, practicing, etc...

But here is a trick for- reminding yourself to notice your breathing....(and I know that I am often, when lying down, I hold my breathe, then take some lame gasping breathe in between)...

1. Create Recurring ”Breath Check Triggers”
Choose five naturally occurring triggers to remind you to become aware of your breath every day. Formulate them as “If → Then plans” and spread them out throughout your day. Here are a few examples:
  • If my alarm clock goes off → Then I will check my breathing.
  • If I’ve put the last dish in the dishwasher → Then I will check my breathing.
  • If I sit down at my desk → Then I will check my breathing.
  • If I close my car door → Then I will check my breathing.
  • If I turn off my bedroom light → Then I will check my breathing.
Thank you! I need to set my intentions :)
 

Oliver3

Senior Member
Messages
846
This is one area i can hold my own at amongst some of the big brains on here..ha!Someone mentioned myhill talking about breathing. She was referring to using the buteyko method. It's a systematic relearning of how you breathe. It took me perhaps 2 years to be able to belly breathe again. i didn't realise how messed up my diagphram was as i was constantly in fight or flight.
The Wim Hof method is another way you are forced to use your diapghram until it becomes natural.
If you don't fancy that, practice pushing your belly out in an over exaggerated manner whilst doign these exercises..it takes a while to retrain so be patient.

 

gbells

Improved ME from 2 to 6
Messages
1,491
Location
Alexandria, VA USA
This is one area i can hold my own at amongst some of the big brains on here..ha!Someone mentioned myhill talking about breathing. She was referring to using the buteyko method. It's a systematic relearning of how you breathe. It took me perhaps 2 years to be able to belly breathe again. i didn't realise how messed up my diagphram was as i was constantly in fight or flight.
The Wim Hof method is another way you are forced to use your diapghram until it becomes natural.
If you don't fancy that, practice pushing your belly out in an over exaggerated manner whilst doign these exercises..it takes a while to retrain so be patient.


this is from Hatha Yoga.
 
Messages
70
This is one area i can hold my own at amongst some of the big brains on here..ha!Someone mentioned myhill talking about breathing. She was referring to using the buteyko method. It's a systematic relearning of how you breathe. It took me perhaps 2 years to be able to belly breathe again. i didn't realise how messed up my diagphram was as i was constantly in fight or flight.
The Wim Hof method is another way you are forced to use your diapghram until it becomes natural.
If you don't fancy that, practice pushing your belly out in an over exaggerated manner whilst doign these exercises..it takes a while to retrain so be patient.

Thank you!

And thank you for the reminder on Wim Hof! I tried the method before and got discouraged a bit by my constricted airway. Now is the time to revisit it!