We celebrated World Breathing Day a few days ago.  What a day to celebrate!  Did you know that you breathe over 20,000 times a day?  Oxygen enters our body providing fuel as carbon dioxide is expelled. Most people have an idea of how important oxygen is for our brain and body but did you know that carbon dioxide is equally as useful in system regulation?  Often carbon dioxide gets a bad rap but this expelled gas also has a crucial role within our bloodstream.  Our systems thrive with long-term homeostasis and oxygen and carbon dioxide have to work in tandem with each other to promote a healthy system.  This is particularly important during exercise!  Our muscles burn more oxygen resulting in more carbon dioxide as a byproduct.  When our carbon dioxide levels increase, a healthy body sends a signal to our lungs to increase breathing so an increased oxygen intake allows for the restoration of oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.  

Anxiety, panic attacks, or overbreathing through improper breathing methods can also affect our carbon dioxide, but in reverse.  Overbreathing expels carbon dioxide too quickly, not allowing proper regeneration.  If our carbon dioxide levels are too low within our bloodstream, our blood pH increases.  This drop causes our system to enter a state called respiratory alkalosis.  Symptoms of respiratory alkalosis can include rapid breathing, dizziness, shortness of breath, or even seizures in extreme cases. Regulating our breathing allows a proper exchange of gases.      

Breathing methods abound and it may be difficult to choose one.  Here at Laker Neuro, we stay true to peer-reviewed research and use a breathing method proven by science.  When done correctly, using your metrics for guidance, we set up a plan that is specific to your cardiovascular and respiratory needs.