How we breathe (often unconsciously) moment to moment can both impact and be impacted by posture, emotional state, and our nervous system. Modern living practices have cumulatively led many people, both children and adults, to engage in unhelpful breathing patterns. It varies from person to person, but humans take up to tens of thousands of breaths per day. The difference between optimal and non-optimal breathing can have a drastic impact on our mental, emotional and physical well being. A functional breath assessment for both children and adults can identify non-supportive breathing habits/patterns so they can be addressed during the therapeutic process.

 

In addition to considering how we breathe on a daily basis, we can engage in breathwork exercises. Breath can be directed to activate the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest response) or the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response) giving it potential at any moment to support emotional regulation for both children and adults addressing challenges such as anxiety, stress, fatigue, sleep and pain. Our breath can serve as an ever present tool we can use to support our physical, emotional and mental states of being.