Psych-Out

We breathe in; we breathe out. Oxygen rushes in. Carbon dioxide moves out.  We inspire. We expire. Without breath, we die.

We take more than 23,000 breaths in a day. Most, if not all, breaths we take without thinking — without noticing. If breathing required thought, we’d not make it very long.

It’s easy for us to take our breathing for granted — as we do most things we don’t think about.

We choke it. We gasp it. We tighten it. We hold it back. Every time we hold our breath, we unconsciously signal to our body that danger is lurking. Even on a casual stroll through the park on a bright summer’s day. No lions there. It’s the mortgage due, the boss, the fight with your spouse or lover. Harbor a distressing thought? As automatically as you breathe, you’ll hold your breath. Danger! Danger!

Fear brings breathlessness. Breathlessness brings fear.

Breath in, we take in oxygen — our primary and most crucial source of energy. We can survive three weeks without food. Three days without water. Deprive us of oxygen? A few minutes.

Oxygen kills parasites, viruses, microbes and bacteria that can’t survive in a high oxygen environment. Without oxygen we cannot absorb important vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. The continuous flow of blood douses our organs and tissues in oxygen. It’s nectar to our cells. Oxygen rich blood continually bathes our brain, which consumes about 20% of the oxygen we breathe in. If the brain is cut off from its oxygen supply for just 10 seconds, we’ll lose consciousness.

Without oxygen, nothing works very well. In fact, nothing works at all.

Hold your breath the sympathetic (flight/flight) nervous system kicks in. Your heart will race in order to divert blood to your muscles. Vigilance. Arousal. Activation. Mobilization. Get ready to run, or fight. Or, to sit immobilized and unsettled.

Take a slow deep breath, your heart rate slows, you decrease perspiration, your muscles relax. That deep breath kicks in the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system will go offline. The parasympathetic nervous system mediates calmness. It promotes growth, healing, and energy storage. The all safe signal flashes. Time to lay back. Rest and digest.

Go ahead. Take that slow deep breath. Oxyginate. Make your body drunk with it.