Pilates benefit are endless, lateral breathing can help better relieve/numb chronic pain. Pilates promotes lateral breathing, which expands your overall breathing capacity. Breathing technique helps use gain energy and also to relax, proprioception, ability and resilience to deal with Chronic pain better. Chronic pain is a term used for the length of time of suffering more so the type of
suffering.
Breathing regulation and control are affected by our emotions and vice versa. Studies on emotions such as pleasure, pain, anger, laughter and pain dating back to 1916 show us that our breath has a unique signature. For example, we know that people who are depressed tend to be shallow breathers and often hyperventilate.
Whilst most of us do not classically hyperventilate, our pain, anxiety/panic, depression, insomnia, OCD, hyperactivity, asthma, gut problems, increase blood pressure etc can atleast be partly caused by not breathing well. Hypermobile frequently use a ‘bracing’ pattern with breath holding in an attempt to improve stability and use more force.
We take breathing for granted. Breathing is not as simple as breathing in (O2 and breathing out (CO2). Whilst the main production of respiration is to get O2 into the cells to help with energy production and the many cellular reactions that our bodies need to survive, this action is dependent on the adequate level of CO2 being present in our bodies. CO2 is the highest in our system when we are happy.
We are often told to ‘Breathe deeply’. This concept has been taught in Yoga and meditation for many centuries. This often leads a person to a state of drowsiness, a state mistaken for meditative state. This leads to Hypoxia, as there is too much air is being inhaled. Shortage of CO2 in the body reduces cellular uptake of O2, leading to the reduction of O2 in the bloodstream travelling to the brain and muscles. This induces a state of Hypoxia; which is often mistaken for the relaxed meditative state the Yoga and meditation hope to achieve. If the Hypoxia islocalised, extreme pain may also be felt at or around the site.