A Brief Overview of the Chemistry of Respiration and the Breathing Heart Wave
Sep 23, 2011 |
by: Peter Litchfield, Ph.
| Category: General
Respiration is behavioral-physiologic homeostasis, a form of self-regulatory behavior, which constitutes a transport system for delivery of atmospheric oxygen to each and every tissue based on their specific metabolic requirements, including the transport of metabolic carbon dioxide from the cells to outside air.
The mechanics of respiration constitute breathing the use of the lungs for moving oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other gases to and/or from the blood. The chemistry of respiration constitutes the physiology of moving oxygen from the lungs to the cells, and carbon dioxide from the cells to the lungs. Optimizing respiration means good chemistry through good mechanics.
In this paper, breathing mechanics have reference to:
1) breathing rhythmicity (holding, gasping, sighing)
2) breathing rate
3) breathing depth (volume)
4) locus of breathing (chest and diaphragm)
5) breathing resistance (nose and mouth), and
6) collateral muscle activity for breathing regulation (muscles other than the diaphragm). Breathing chemistry has reference to the ventilation of carbon dioxide through these breathing mechanics in the service of establishing adaptive respiratory chemistry. Respiratory chemistry can be monitored by measuring changes in exhaled carbon dioxide, to be discussed later, so as to ensure that the learning of breathing mechanics is truly in the service of respiration.
Good breathing mechanics rather than good respiratory physiology, has unfortunately become almost the exclusive focus of breathing training and learning, often along with insistence on tying it to relaxation training regimens in the context of specific philosophical and/or professional agenda. As a result, it is not surprising then, that at least 50 percent of therapists and trainers who teach breathing actually deregulate respiratory chemistry by inducing over-breathing with their instructions to trainees, not realizing that they are inducing system-wide physiological crisis through the establishment of hypocapnia, i.e., carbon dioxide deficit.
Unfortunately, based on this kind of thinking, myths and misunderstandings about good breathing often constitute the working knowledge of professionals and lay audiences alike. Here are some of them:
* Good breathing means relaxation.
No. Good breathing is important in all circumstances, whether relaxed or not.
* Learning good breathing requires relaxation.
No. This would mean that during most life circumstances, breathing is maladaptive.
* Diaphragmatic breathing is synonymous with good breathing.
No. In many instances one may begin to over breathe as a result of switching from chest to diaphragm.
* Good respiration is all about the mechanics of breathing.
No. Good breathing means ventilating in accordance with metabolic requirements.
* Diaphragmatic, deep, slow breathing means better distribution of oxygen.
No. Mechanics may look letter perfect, but oxygen distribution
may be poor.
* Under breathing, with the result of oxygen deficit is common.
No. To the contrary, over breathing is common.
Good breathing translates into optimizing respiratory physiology, and contrary to popular thinking, learning to breathe well does not simply mean deep, slow, diaphragmatic breathing in the context of learning how to relax. Adaptive breathing means regulating blood chemistry, through proper ventilation of carbon dioxide, in accordance with metabolic and other physiologic requirements associated with all life activities and circumstances: relaxation or stress, rest or challenge, fatigue or excitement, attention or open-focus, playing or working. Deregulated breathing chemistry, i.e., hypocapnia (CO2 deficiency) as a result of over-breathing, means serious physiological crisis involving system-wide compromises that involve physical and mental consequences of all kinds, to be examined later in this overview.
Evaluating, establishing, maintaining, and promoting good respiratory chemistry are fundamental to virtually any professional practice involving breathing training. Good breathing chemistry establishes a system-wide context conducive to optimizing health and maximizing performance.
Breathing training is invariably included as an important component of relaxation training, but surely does not in and of itself constitute relaxation. Breathing may be fully optimized, and hopefully is, during times of stress and challenge where relaxation is neither possible nor adaptive. Once good breathing chemistry and breathing mechanics are in place, relaxation training may then also include the establishment of stable high-amplitude breathing heart waves, i.e., parasympathetic (nervous system) tone, otherwise known as the respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and as one of the frequency ranges (HF) of what is known as heart rate variability (HRV).
Respiratory Chemistry: The Role of Carbon Dioxide in Oxygen Distribution
In this paper, breathing mechanics have reference to:
1) breathing rhythmicity (holding, gasping, sighing)
2) breathing rate
3) breathing depth (volume)
4) locus of breathing (chest and diaphragm)
5) breathing resistance (nose and mouth), and
6) collateral muscle activity for breathing regulation (muscles other than the diaphragm). Breathing chemistry has reference to the ventilation of carbon dioxide through these breathing mechanics in the service of establishing adaptive respiratory chemistry. Respiratory chemistry can be monitored by measuring changes in exhaled carbon dioxide, to be discussed later, so as to ensure that the learning of breathing mechanics is truly in the service of respiration.
Good breathing mechanics rather than good respiratory physiology, has unfortunately become almost the exclusive focus of breathing training and learning, often along with insistence on tying it to relaxation training regimens in the context of specific philosophical and/or professional agenda. As a result, it is not surprising then, that at least 50 percent of therapists and trainers who teach breathing actually deregulate respiratory chemistry by inducing over-breathing with their instructions to trainees, not realizing that they are inducing system-wide physiological crisis through the establishment of hypocapnia, i.e., carbon dioxide deficit.
Unfortunately, based on this kind of thinking, myths and misunderstandings about good breathing often constitute the working knowledge of professionals and lay audiences alike. Here are some of them:
* Good breathing means relaxation.
No. Good breathing is important in all circumstances, whether relaxed or not.
* Learning good breathing requires relaxation.
No. This would mean that during most life circumstances, breathing is maladaptive.
* Diaphragmatic breathing is synonymous with good breathing.
No. In many instances one may begin to over breathe as a result of switching from chest to diaphragm.
* Good respiration is all about the mechanics of breathing.
No. Good breathing means ventilating in accordance with metabolic requirements.
* Diaphragmatic, deep, slow breathing means better distribution of oxygen.
No. Mechanics may look letter perfect, but oxygen distribution
may be poor.
* Under breathing, with the result of oxygen deficit is common.
No. To the contrary, over breathing is common.
Good breathing translates into optimizing respiratory physiology, and contrary to popular thinking, learning to breathe well does not simply mean deep, slow, diaphragmatic breathing in the context of learning how to relax. Adaptive breathing means regulating blood chemistry, through proper ventilation of carbon dioxide, in accordance with metabolic and other physiologic requirements associated with all life activities and circumstances: relaxation or stress, rest or challenge, fatigue or excitement, attention or open-focus, playing or working. Deregulated breathing chemistry, i.e., hypocapnia (CO2 deficiency) as a result of over-breathing, means serious physiological crisis involving system-wide compromises that involve physical and mental consequences of all kinds, to be examined later in this overview.
Evaluating, establishing, maintaining, and promoting good respiratory chemistry are fundamental to virtually any professional practice involving breathing training. Good breathing chemistry establishes a system-wide context conducive to optimizing health and maximizing performance.
Breathing training is invariably included as an important component of relaxation training, but surely does not in and of itself constitute relaxation. Breathing may be fully optimized, and hopefully is, during times of stress and challenge where relaxation is neither possible nor adaptive. Once good breathing chemistry and breathing mechanics are in place, relaxation training may then also include the establishment of stable high-amplitude breathing heart waves, i.e., parasympathetic (nervous system) tone, otherwise known as the respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and as one of the frequency ranges (HF) of what is known as heart rate variability (HRV).
Respiratory Chemistry: The Role of Carbon Dioxide in Oxygen Distribution
