3.
You’re a Hybrid Breather
Congratulations on taking the breathing quiz! Awareness is the first step to change, so you are already on your way to feeling better and taking control of stress. Based on your quiz, you are a mixed or hybrid breather, which means you are a combination of an upper chest “vertical” breather and a diaphragmatic “horizontal” breather. This means that you use both your primary and secondary breathing muscles when you breathe while at rest. The most efficient and effective breathing style is horizontal. The diaphragm is designed to do 80-90% of the work of breathing and communicates to the nervous system that all is good. HORIZONTAL BREATHING=LESS STRESSWhat is it?👍🏼Horizontal breathing is the optimal way to breathe! It means using the correct muscles and filling up the bottom (more oxygen dense) part of your lungs. A horizontal breather puts their diaphragm to work, which is how the body is designed to breathe. 👎🏼Vertical breathing or “chest breather” is a style of breathing using your accessory breathing muscles in your neck, chest, and shoulders. These are your backup breathing muscles meant for short bursts, such as sprinting. Unfortunately, many people have defaulted to this stress-provoking breathing style and don’t return to their natural breath designed to help your body rest and recover.“You used to breathe this way; this is how the body wants to breathe.” ~ Dr. Belisa VranichWhat horizontal breathing looks likeWhen you inhale, you see…👍🏼Your neck and shoulders stay stillYour lower ribs expand out sidewaysYour belly expands out away from your spineYour breath starts low around the bottom of your ribsNo vertical movement, but rather a wide “horizontal” breath What vertical breathing looks likeWhen you inhale, you see…👎🏼Your breath starts in the upper chestYour shoulders rise, and you feel your body liftYour neck and chest muscles engageThe top of your head lengthens upwardYour chest puffs out and up How horizontal breathing affects the mind and body“Oxygen is the life force, the source of life’s infinite possibilities.” ~ Breath Taking author Michael J. StephenWhen you breathe through the lower part of your body (expanding your middle, sides, and back), your diaphragm flattens out, pulling your lower ribs apart. This provides more space for the lungs to fill with air. Efficient-It activates the primary breathing muscles (diaphragm and intercostals) More Oxygen-Fills up the lower lungs (the largest and most oxygen-rich portion of the lungs)Reduces stress- activates the parasympathetic rest and digest relaxation stateAs a horizontal breather, you only have to take a couple of diaphragmatic breaths versus ten inefficient “vertical” breaths.Common enemies of a healthy breathYour breathing habits develop over time and are influenced through life events, modern society, environment, health, culture, and more, including...tight clothes/pantsbraced belly- gut suckingpoor posturesedentary lifestylesphysical tension & stressmouth breathing/talking a lotan injury to the ribcage or spineculture/mythstraumatic experiences (stuck in “fight-flight”)mimicking otherscolds/blocked noseover the age of 29environment- pollutionDo any of these resonate with you?We are all born with healthy habits but are influenced in many ways that sabotage our breathing mechanics. How we breathe is as unique to us as our fingerprint, so paying attention to those habits taking away our natural breath is essential.Reflection: Do you have any memories of when your breathing changed? Take a moment to jot down any experiences, perceptions, or thoughts that may have contributed to your breathing habits.How to maintain your healthy breath“The only proper way to eliminate bad habits is to replace them with good ones.”~ Jerome Hines1. Awareness is the first step toward changeBecome aware of your breathing habits throughout the day and jot down your observations in a journal.2. Release physical tensionMindfully release and relax your neck, shoulders, belly, and upper back to prepare the body for a healthy breath. Tension and bracing inhibit the movement of the diaphragm, often leading to an upper chest “vertical” breath.3. Practice diaphragmatic “horizontal” breathingLay down on your back and place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest.Inhale through your nose as you expand your belly up.Feel the bottom hand rise on the inhale and fall on the exhale.The hand on your chest should remain stillRepeat this 20x4. Be consistentBuild a breathing routine into your day to promote healthy breathing habits. This will strengthen the primary breathing muscles and create healthy habits so that you don’t just breathe to survive; you will breathe to thrive.5. Need help? Hire a breathing coachHold up — let me introduce myself!Hey there, I'm Stephanie Esser 👋 I'm a mother, wife, teacher, and breathing coach passionate about helping people breathe well to be well. Many of us (including our kids) are feeling overwhelmed and stressed. Let me tell you, it doesn't have to be this way. Learn how to control stress and not let it control you! The breathing and stress connection is why we need to pay attention to how we are breathing.My mission is to help parents and teachers develop healthy breathing mechanics and habits so that they can pass this powerful self-regulation tool onto children. This is why I created the BE Buddy®- a multisensory breathing buddy and lavender-scented eye pillow to make breathing fun and to help kids build healthy breathing habits early in life! With practice, they have the tools to self-soothe and regulate when they need it most!Do you often feel anxious and overwhelmed or like you can't catch your breath? Or maybe you have a child or student struggling with anxiety. The breath is your superpower, and I teach you how to use it to feel safe, calm, and focused anytime and anywhere. You will then be ready to teach this essential lifelong tool to children. Want to learn more? Book a FREE 15-minute discovery call with me today! Together, we’ve got this 🙌Looking for a few more resources? Fill up on these...1. Connect with me on Instagram @bebuddy to learn more about healthy breathing habits and practices to reduce stress, improve focus, and teach it to your children.2. Check out my blog and free resources at Balancing Elephants to discover simple tips and tools to breathe well to be well. Do you have kids? Help them learn this superpower so that they can feel calm and safe when they need it most. Learn about the BE Buddy®, a multisensory breathing tool to make breathing fun! Use code “QUIZFIVE” to get $5 off, plus free shipping. 3. Download my FREE PDF 5 Healthy Breathing Hacks to learn simple tips to breathe efficiently and effectively to reduce stress and improve focus.P.S. Expect to see me in your inbox with more breathing tips 🫁
