It may sound wild, but how we breathe can have a big effect on chronic digestive complaints.
Our digestive system is largely controlled by a portion of our nervous system known as the enteric nervous system and a cranial nerve called the vagus nerve. These parts of our neurology are what receive and give information to our digestive tracts for involuntary actions like blood flow, digesting food, absorbing nutrients and expelling waste. The vagus nerve is known as the wandering nerve, with branches running through all of our major systems (sensory, cardiac, respiratory and digestive). It is also linked to our emotional and psychological states and supports us in effectively managing stressful events through our bodies.
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Along with this, our digestion is signaled or paused by our autonomic nervous system, which has two branches:
- The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for our arousal or survival-based reactions.
- The parasympathetic nervous system signals resting and digesting processes.
What does this anatomy lesson have to do with our digestive function?
Our breathing, though technically an involuntary process, can also be consciously controlled or made voluntary. The mechanics of breath help mobilize us from the inside out. When we employ the breath to expand into the diaphragm, the large balloon-like muscle tucked into the ribcage under our lungs, we give our internal organs and soft tissues a massage and move essential fluids like blood and lymphatic fluids through the system. The breath essentially can and should act like a pump system. On top of this, the movement of the breath can wonderfully interact with our neurobiology. When we breathe slowly and consciously in a rhythm, we can support improved cardiac function, soothe our nervous system if it has been in a stressed state, and support effective and appropriate digestive function.
For clients of mine who struggle with chronic digestive complaints like IBS, working with their breathing is one of my first goals because of its multi-faceted effect on our biologic functions. Research is showing chronic conditions like IBS, Crohn’s disease and other autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis all have links to nervous system dysregulation. This means our neurobiology gets chronically “stuck” in our stress response. This will limit blood flow and slow down action of our digestive tract while increasing inflammation throughout our body. The first step to working to regulate the nervous system, so that we can naturally shift gears from reaction/stress responses back to rest and digest responses, is often working directly with how we breathe.
There are many ways to work with the breath for specific neurological shifts. My favourite starting point for working with the breath is a “coherent breath.” This simply means spending a few moments at a time, daily or a few times through the day, breathing in a specific and equal rhythm. An easy starting point for most people is approximately four to five seconds on the inhale, and then four to five seconds on the exhale. Start with less or more depending on what feels easy for you. Repeat this way of breathing for a few minutes (or more). Inhales can be through the nose, and exhales can be either through the nose or an open mouth. As you breathe, think about the inhales filling your mid-back space and the bottom of your ribcage, like a balloon inflating in all directions from the mid-body. As you exhale, allow that balloon to deflate completely.
My recommended initial “dose” is practicing this coherent breath at least twice a day, daily. If you have struggled with digestion, try this before and after meals to see if it helps over time. Even if you don’t struggle with known digestive complaints, a few minutes before and after meals might just improve your digestion anyway.
