The basic function of our breath is to move air in and out of the lungs. It affects our metabolism & energy level, cognitive functions (the brain uses three times more oxygen than any other cells in the body), blood and oxygen delivery to the cells and removal of carbon dioxide from them.
Breathing is also one of the limbs (or elements) of yoga practice and in some opinions, the most important. In yoga practice we learn that the other functions of breathing are to release muscle & mental tension, calm, regulate & revitalize the nervous system, improve immunity and improve thinking. We learn that in time of stress or when in pain, to bring our attention back to the breath brings about calm, relaxation and healing in the body and the mind.
When I begin to teach "Belly Breathing" techniques to younger students, I do so by using games. Feathers, soap bubbles, cotton balls and an expandable "Breathing Ball" (AKA "Hoberman Sphere") can all be used to show children how to take a proper breath and to train their young bodies to do this naturally and consistently before stress and other bad habits set in.
As children grow older, and play less, its easy to forget these techniques and how important they are. Its vital that kids and teens fully understand the power of their breath to support health, enhance learning, assist with stress and improve interactions with others. Its our job to encourage them daily to close their eyes and just focus on their breathing - just as we ensure they eat, brush their teeth, do homework and bathe daily.
Set aside 10- 20 uninterrupted minutes a day of deep breathing time (or to play breathing games) with your children and teens. It doesn't matter when, but a good way to do this is to get them into a routine, such as right after school or before bed. If they practice while they are calm and in a safe familiar environment, they will be more likely to use these and other healthy techniques when angry, stressed, in pain or trying to solve a problem.
One of the questions I hear regularly is how to teach deep breathing concepts and mechanics to non-verbal children or those with more severe physical or cognitive challenges. Many of these children do not have good body awareness & can't even begin to isolate a muscle such as the diaphragm (breathing muscle.) There is a facilitated technique that I use, that parents and therapists can also use to encourage use of the diaphragm for deeper "Belly" breathing. The basic technique is explained below, however it is not meant to replace traditional therapy. Please check with the child's doctor and medical team to be sure this method is advised for your child or student. In some cases, the technique may need to be modified for safety and/or effectiveness.
The facilitator, whether a parent or therapist needs to make a conscious connection with the child so this exercise is to be done in a quiet room, free of drafts, strong odors & other excessive sensory input: auditory or visual noise, TV, phones, computers, electronics and all other distractions & interruptions. Lights can be dim and quiet instrumental music (low volume) can be played if desired. The initial exercise will take about 5-10 minutes.
1- Have the child lie down on floor, face up, on top of padding, a folded blanket, a mat or on a carpeted area.
2- Place a small flat (about 1-2" ) pillow or folded towel under head and a rolled blanket or bolster under (slightly bent) knees for comfort. Shoulders, hips, lower back and soles of feet should all have contact with the floor.
3- Sit on floor next to child & watch child's midsection for a minute as it rises and falls with the breath. Notice the rhythm, speed and depth of each breath. (You may notice that the child breathes into the shoulder area. Watch for this too.)
4- Place your open hand on the child's midsection, just under the ribcage and just above the naval and let it rest for a moment, feeling the child's breathing, and again, noticing the rhythm, speed and depth.
5- After a minute or two of quiet bonding with the child, and following the child's rhythm and depth, begin to apply gentle but firm pressure downwards as you see & feel the child's midsection fall (exhalation). As the child breathes in and the midsection rises again, release pressure and allow hand to just rest there until the exhale. Upon the next exhale, apply pressure again. Release pressure upon the inhale. Be aware of where you feel that point of resistance while applying pressure, and back off as soon as you feel it.)
6-Continue the exercise for 5 minutes or until the child indicates that they want to get up. (Its not uncommon for them to fall asleep and this is OK too.) You may find yourself and the child breathing together in rhythm by the end of the exercise.
7- When you start to see & feel the child breathing deeply on his or her own, (the time it takes for this to happen varies from a few weeks to a few months.) you can adapt this exercise to use a 1 lb.sandbag on the child's belly instead of your hand. (Usually 1-4 lbs depending on their medical conditions, strength, size and tolerance ) Also lying the child on their stomach (especially mouth breathers) will give them deeper input and awareness of the breathing muscle encouraging deeper, fuller breaths.
8- Once the routine is established, the use of sound can encourage deeper breathing & relaxation. Facilitators can use simple words or vowel sounds as the child inhales and exhales: "belly...breath"; "just...breathe"; "breathe...relax"; "breathe...calm"; "in...out"; "me...you"; "sea...shells"; "let...go"; "aaaa...eeee"; "Jo-ey" (child's name) or the Traditional Mantra of "Soo...Hummmmmm".
A little practice daily is better than hours of practice once and a while. Its not necessary to teach a child several types of breathing all at once. Let them master deep Belly Breathing first as it is the most useful type of breathing for kids. As the child breathes better without facilitation, and can do it while sitting or standing, you can introduce other types of breathing if desired through games that help reinforce breath control.
The keys to successful & effective breathing techniques, facilitated or not, is to be attentive to the child and to be patient. It may seem like your child is not "getting" it, but don't doubt that deep breathing exercises are still beneficial in a variety of ways, maybe unseen at the moment, for him and for you. Remember that no matter how minimal, progress is progress.
This technique is included along with many others, in my forthcoming book: "Calm & Connected: Yoga Based Tools for Self-Regulation" . Watch for details next month.
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Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com
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