RespiratoryBiofeedback

Akeycomponentofmanualbiofeedback
Part2ofa3PartSeries Dr.PhilipMaffetone

Inthissecondpartofmythreepartarticle,Idiscussaveryimportanttypeofmanual biofeedbackcalledrespiratorybiofeedback,withstepbystepinstructionsonitsuse. Thisprocedurecombinestwopowerfultherapies:Thefirstincorporatesmanual biofeedbackwiththekeybreathingmuscles,andthesecondisEEGbiofeedback,or neurofeedback,whichhelpsimprovebrainfunctionandisassociatedwithalphawave production.Asacomponentofmanualbiofeedback,respiratorybiofeedbackcanalso performedwithoutequipment. Everyonecanbenefitfromrespiratorybiofeedback.Wecanuseitonourselvesasa quick,effectivedailyremedytoreducestress,relaxandimproveoverallhealth.And,we canuseitasaprimarytechniquetotreatpatients.Mostimportantly,respiratory biofeedbackisbestperformedbeforeothertherapiesareusedasitcanhelpimprovethe efficacyoftheseremediesandofteneliminatetheirnecessity. Respiratorybiofeedbackisassociatedwithanumberofsignificanthealthbenefits: 1. Itcanincreaseoxygentothebrain,potentiallyimprovingavarietyof neurologicalimbalances.Thisisaccomplishedthroughmoreefficientbreathing thatbringsmoreairintothelungs. 2. Itcanincreasethebrainsproductionofalphawaves.Thesebrainwavescanhelp reduceharmfulstresshormones,especiallycortisol,balancetheautonomic nervoussystemandpromotemusclerelaxationallveryimportantfeaturesfora healthierbrainandbody. 3. Respiratoryfeedbackcanhelprestoreandimprovenormalbreathing.Improper breathingisoftenassociatedwithbrainandspinalcordinjuriesandissometimes ahiddenproblemeveninrelativelyhealthypeople. 4. Itcanhelpimprovethefunctionofthediaphragmandabdominalmuscles.In additiontobreathing,thesemusclesplayasignificantroleinphysicalactivity, improvingpostureandsupportingthespineandpelvis. 5. Becauseofitseffectonthebrainandnervoussystem,respiratorybiofeedback canhelpimprovethefunctionofothermusclesinthebodyaswell,andhelp reducepaintworeasonstoperformthisprocedurebeforeothermanual biofeedback.
2009PhilipMaffetonewww.philmaffetone.com

NormalBreathing Beforeperformingrespiratorybiofeedback,wemustfirstbesurethebasicbreathing mechanismisworkingproperly.Withoutnormalbreathing,manymusclesdontworkas well,bodymovementisimpaired,oxygencanbereducedandmanytherapies,including respiratorybiofeedback,maynotbeeffective.Normalbreathingisassociatedwith propermusclemovementthemostimportantbeingtheabdominalmusclesandthe diaphragmmuscle.Thesemusclescoordinatemovementsthatallowustoefficiently breatheinandout.Letslookatthetwocomponentsofnormalbreathinginhalation andexhalation: 1. Duringinhalationtheabdominalmusclesrelaxandextendoutward,whilethe diaphragmmusclecontractsandmovesdownward.Thismovementallowsair toenterthelungsmoreeasilyandisaccompaniedbyaslightwholebody backwardextension,especiallythespine. 2. Duringexhalationtheabdominalmusclescontractandtighten,andaregently pulledinward;thediaphragmmusclerelaxeswithanupwardmovement.This helpspushairoutofthelungs,withaslightwholebodyflexion. Wecanobserveanotherpersonsbreathingandoftentellifitscorrect,especially watchingthebellymoveoutoninhalationandinonexhalation.Wecanalsoevaluate ourownbreathingbyfeelingourmusclesmove: Placethepalmofoneortwoofyourhandsontheabdomen. Slowlybreatheinandfeeltheabdominalmusclesexpandoutward.Thebelly shouldgetbiggerduringinhalation. Slowlyexhaleandfeeltheabdominalmusclestightenandbepulledinward.The bellyismoreflatonexhalation. Duringnormalbreathing,mostmovementoccursintheabdominalareaswithonly slightmovementofthechest.Thechestexpandsmoreduringmuchdeeperbreathing suchasduringexercise. Wecanassessapatientbywatchingtheabdominalmovement,andalsobyplacingour handsonhisorherabdomenduringbreathingweshouldfeelthemusclesexpandon inhalation,andflattenandtightenonexhalation.Thosewhobreatheimproperlyoften movetheirmusclesoppositethatofnormal.Thishappensforvariousreasons.Brainand spinalcordinjuriescandisturbthebreathingmuscles.Inotherindividuals,poor breathingcancomefromstress,thestigmaofnotshowingabigbelly,andevenover exercisingtheabdominalmuscles,makingthemtootighttorelax.
2009PhilipMaffetonewww.philmaffetone.com

Ifbreathingisnotnormal,itsimportanttoretrainthebreathingmechanismbefore usingrespiratorybiofeedback.Theprocedureissimplefollowthosestepsjustoutlined fornormalinhalationandexhalation,andcontinueforabouttwominutes,threetimesa day.Itmayonlytakeafewdaystorestorethenaturalhabitofnormalbreathing.Then, performingrespiratorybiofeedbackcanhelpmaintainnormalmovement. Oneimportantnote:beawareofthebreathingmechanismduringtimesofstress,which isoftenwhennormalbreathingcanswitchtoabnormalbreathingasweholdmore tensioninourabdominalandpelvicmuscles. BrainWaves Animportantcomponentofrespiratorybiofeedbackistheproductionofhealthybrain waves.AsdiscussedinPart1,neuromuscularfunctioncanbeevaluatedwithmanual muscletesting,butevaluatingbrainwavesrequiresspecificequipment.Whileworking withDr.CoraleeThompson,asshedidneurofeedback,weobservedthatmanypeople whowereunabletoproducecertainhealthybrainwavesalsohadabnormalbreathing patterns.Whenweeffectivelytaughtthesepatientstobreatheproperly,brainwave activityimproved.Withthisinmind,Ibeganteachingrespiratorybiofeedbackwithout measuringbrainwavesorusingEEGequipment. Brainwaveactivityprovidesuswithinformationonbrainfunction.Understandingsome basicinformationaboutbrainwavesisanimportantcomponentofrespiratory biofeedback. Thebrainproducesdifferentfrequenciesandamplitudesofelectricalwavesdepending uponlevelsofconsciousness.Sensation,attention(selfawareness),intellectualactivity andtheplanningofphysicalmovementhavedistinctelectricalcorrelatesinthebrain thatcanbemeasured.Measuringbrainwavesduringvariousactivities,suchasreading, performingamathproblem,listeningtomusic,witheyesopenandclosed,provides furtherinformationaboutbrainfunction.Onceanalyzedthroughbrainmappingsuchas thequantitativeEEG(QEEG),areasofthebraincanbetrainedtofunctionbetter throughbiofeedback,oftenreferredtoasneurofeedback. Fourcommonlymeasuredbrainwaves,andatleasttwoothersthathavebeenobserved: betawaves(1232Hz)areassociatedwithfullawarenessandhighcortical activityabusybrain,suchasduringabusinessmeeting,planningatripor mentallydoingseveralthingsatonetime. alphawaves(812Hz)areassociatedwithasenseofrelaxedalertnessand highcreativity;Typicalduringmeditation,listeningtomusic,andwheneyesare closed.Theabilitytogeneratealphawavesisassociatedwiththeselfregulation ofstressandmaycontributetoanexpandedstateofconsciousness.
2009PhilipMaffetonewww.philmaffetone.com

thetawaves(48Hz)areanawakebutdreamystatecommonjustbeforethe onsetofsleep;Mostprevalentinyouthbutoccursduringdeepcreativityand meditationinadultsatanytime. deltawaves(0.54Hz)areveryslowwaveoccurringduringmoststagesof sleep.Abnormalifoccurringwhileawakeandmayindicatealackofnutrients suchasglucoseoroxygen,medicationeffects,orpoorlyfunctioningneurons.

Otherbrainwavesincludegamma(~3080Hz).Muchlessisknownaboutthiswave.It maybeassociatedwithmorecomplexcorticalfunctionandhigherlevelsof consciousness.Asensorymotorrhythm(1215Hz)abovethehigherendalphaand enteringbetahasbeenassociatedwithalertbutmusclerelaxedstates.Ourbrains shouldmakespecificwavesincertainbrainregionsatappropriatetimes.An abnormalitymightincludeanormalwaveoccurringatthewrongtime.Forexample, deltawavesthatareseenduringreadingorperformingasimplemathproblemare abnormalandcouldaccountforerrors.Andtheappearanceofthetawaveswhileina classroomsettingordrivingonthehighwayisabnormalandcouldaccountforpoor comprehensionorhumanerror. Theabilitytoproducealphawavesisassociatedwithanoverallhealthybrainandbody, especiallyinrelationtocontrollingstress.Itisonereasonpeoplehave,forthousandsof years,pursuedmeditation,theuseofpsychedelicsandotherdrugs,prayerandother activitiesthatseektopromotethealphastate.Specifically,alphawavescanreducehigh levelsofthestresshormonecortisol,andhelpbalancetheautonomicnervoussystem. Thesealphawavescanhavedramaticeffectsonourwholebody,suchasimproved memory,learningandcomprehension,betterbloodsugarregulation,improvedgut function,andbalancedhormones.Whenwe'rerelaxed,creative,meditatingandhappy, ourbrainproduceslargeamountsofalphawaves.Fortheseandotherreasons,onemain focusofrespiratorybiofeedbackisthecreationofalphawaves. Theinabilitytoproducealphawavesisabnormal.Bloodsugarproblems,inadequate sleep,nutritionalimbalanceandveryhighlevelsofstresshormonescanimpairthe abilitytoproducealphawaves.Evencertainstructuralproblems,suchasthoseinthe jawjointorneckmusclesinnervatedbythecranialnerves(neckflexorsandSCM)can significantlyreduceourabilitytogeneratehealthyalphawaves. RespiratoryBiofeedbackProcedures Withabetterunderstandingofbrainwavesandnormalbreathing,werereadyto performrespiratorybiofeedback.Whileitsimportanttorelaxthebodyasmuchas possibleduringthisprocess,ifthisprocedureisnew,youmaybealittletenseasyou thinkofeachstep.Butsoon,youllbeablerelaxandobtainthemaximumbenefitsof respiratorybiofeedback.
2009PhilipMaffetonewww.philmaffetone.com

Herearethefivestepsforrespiratorybiofeedback: 1. Itsbestperformedrelaxed,inalyingposition,althoughslightlyreclinedwhile sittingisalsoeffective. 2. Placeyourhandsorarmsonthemiddleoftheabdomen,andkeepthemrelaxed. Thissensationandweightprovidesabiofeedbackeffectonthediaphragmand abdominalmusclesduringmovement. 3. Closeyoureyes;thisusuallyincreaseshealthyalphabrainwaves. 4. Listentoenjoyablemusic;alsoagreatwaytoincreasealphawaves,especiallyif headphonesareusedwhichkeepsoutdistractingnoise. 5. Breatheasyanddeep.Mostpeoplecancomfortably,slowlyinhaleforabout5to7 seconds;then,exhaleforthesame5to7seconds.If5to7secondsmakesyoufeel outofbreathordizzy,adjustthetimetry3to4secondsduringinhalation,for example,andthesameforexhalation. Continuerespiratorybiofeedbackforaboutfiveminutes.Ifyouhaveheadphones,plug theminandgotowww.philmaffetone.comandlistentothesongRosemary(itsonthe musicplayerinthelowerleft)butanyenjoyablemusicwillwork. Caution:Itsveryimportanttonotfallasleep,ornotevenstartdriftingintosleep.Ifthis happens,immediatelydiscontinuetherespiratorybiofeedbacksession.Sleepproduces deltabrainwavestheseshouldbeavoidedduringrespiratorybiofeedback.Ifyoustart gettingsleepyafter2minutes,performrespiratorybiofeedbackforjustlessthanthat timeandgraduallyworkupto5minutesbutalwaysavoidgettingsleepy.Ifyou consistentlygetsleepyduringrespiratorybiofeedback,theremaybeothersleeprelated issuessuchassleepdeprivationorsleepapnea. Onceyouvedonethisprocedureafewtimes,itwillbecomeveryeasy.Andifyoure helpingsomeoneelseperformit,makesureheorsheispositionedcorrectlyandis breathingproperly. Asatherapy,respiratorybiofeedbackcanbeperformedonceortwicedaily,ormoreif necessary.Manypeoplefeelinvigoratedafterwards,andcantellwhenitstimeto performit.Andagain,beforeusingmanualbiofeedbackonothermuscles,itsbestto performrespiratorybiofeedbackfirstbecauseitcanhelpmakethisandothertherapies moresuccessful.
2009PhilipMaffetonewww.philmaffetone.com