How to breathe.

It sounds almost ridiculous, how to breathe.
If you are alive, you are probably thinking, well, of course I am breathing correctly.

Unfortunately, most of us are not.

When I am treating a patient and they are lying down resting, I often take a moment to quietly observe their natural breathing. Most of the time, it is barely visible, the breath is so shallow!

Because of how much time we spend on phones and computers, our posture throughout the day tends to collapse forward, with rounded shoulders, curved backs, and heads pushed out in front of us. This posture physically compresses the lungs, and when we inhale, they cannot expand to their full potential.

Think of your ribs, spine, and sternum as a kind of protective cage around your lungs. Your lungs are like a balloon inside that cage. The balloon can only inflate as much as the cage allows. If the cage becomes crumpled or stiff, the balloon cannot expand properly. The same happens in our bodies when our posture is rounded or our ribs are restricted — our breath becomes smaller without us even realising.

What happens next? We start to breathe shallowly, relying too much on the small muscles in our neck and shoulders, while the diaphragm, which is the main breathing muscle that sits under the lungs, becomes tight and underused.

Most people are fascinated, and a little shocked, to discover that this kind of breathing can lead to and contribute to real physical pain and stiffness. Not just in the neck and shoulders, but also through the middle of the back and even the lower back.

So, what can we do about it?

Let us start simple.

Wherever you are right now, take a deep breath in. As far as you can. No judgement, no expectation, just curiosity. Notice what it feels like.

Do you feel a restriction, as though you are pushing up against something? Does your chest lift high, or do you feel tightness in your upper body?

Now place one hand on your stomach and one on your chest. Try to direct the air downwards, imagining that you are filling your belly first so that the hand on your stomach rises before the hand on your chest moves.

If you want to take it further, lie on your back and place a few heavy books on your stomach. Spend a few minutes breathing deeply, letting that gentle weight guide your diaphragm to engage more fully. Over time, this can help re-train your default breathing pattern.

During osteopathic treatment, we treat these areas directly, (the ribs, diaphragm, neck, and back) to reduce physical restrictions and tightness, and increase your breathing potential. The effect is often immediate. After treatment, patients often feel like they can take in twice as much air. It is the perfect way to begin your breath-work journey from the inside out.

Breathing in this way does not only help your posture or ease tension in your back and shoulders, it also supports your digestion, your nervous system, your lymphatic flow, your immune system, and so much more.

So next time you catch yourself hunched over your screen, take a moment.
Uncurl. Breathe deeply.
Your whole body will thank you.