Simple Reflections on Living Well
Are You Breathing Upside Down?
Have you ever noticed what happens when you try to take a deep breath?
Many people lift their shoulders, tighten their chest, and pull the air in from the top—almost as if more effort will bring in more breath.
But often, it doesn’t.
The breath still feels shallow.
The body still feels a little tight.
This is something many of us learned without realizing it. Over time, we begin breathing in a way that is almost
upside down from how the body was designed.
If you watch a baby breathe, you will see something very different. The belly gently rises and falls. The breath moves from deep inside the body, not from the upper chest.
As we grow up—through stress, habits, and holding tension—we often lose that natural pattern.
Instead of breathing fully, we begin using only the upper part of the lungs. The diaphragm, the main breathing muscle, becomes underused. The body starts working harder just to get air in.
This can lead to a number of quiet but important effects:
- ongoing tension in the shoulders and neck
- a feeling of not getting enough air
- fatigue or low energy
- increased anxiety or restlessness
- difficulty relaxing, even when there is time to rest
One of the biggest pieces that is often missed is this:
We don’t fully exhale.
If the body doesn’t release the breath completely, there is less room for the next inhale. It’s like trying to pour fresh water into a glass that hasn’t been emptied.
When we gently and fully exhale—especially by engaging the belly muscles to press the air out—the lungs naturally create space for a deeper, fuller breath to return.
This is where the body begins to shift.
When the diaphragm starts moving again, it does more than just help us breathe. It gently massages the internal organs, supports circulation, and signals the nervous system to move out of stress and into rest.
This shift activates what is called the
parasympathetic response—the part of the nervous system that allows the body to repair, digest, and restore itself.
At the same time, stress hormones like
cortisol begin to settle. When cortisol stays elevated for long periods, it can tax the body—especially the adrenal glands—and leave us feeling wired, tired, or depleted.
Deeper breathing helps interrupt that cycle.
It can also slow brain activity in a helpful way, allowing for clearer thinking, steadier emotions, and better decision-making. The body moves more easily.
Balance improves. There is a greater sense of being present rather than rushed.
In a world where many people are unknowingly breathing in this “upside down” way, simply returning to a natural breath pattern can make a meaningful difference.
Sometimes the body doesn’t need more effort.
It just needs space to breathe the way it was designed to.
A Small Moment to Try
Sit comfortably in a chair, with one hand resting on your lower belly. As you breathe in through your nose, let the belly gently expand; then inhale for a count of 4, hold for 4, and slowly exhale through the nose for a count of 7, gently drawing the belly inward at the end to release the last bit of air.
Repeat this 5 or 6 times, then return to a natural breath and simply notice how you feel—without judgment—allowing yourself to observe whatever sensations arise.
—
Sometimes the smallest pause — a breath, a moment of awareness — can quietly return us to ourselves.
Root first. Then rise.
Cherie Bianco is the author of
Root to Rise Survival to Sovereignty and teaches practices that help people reconnect with their breath, body, and inner balance. She offers weekly classes and private sessions at her studio in Borrego Springs, located at
The Mall, second floor west side, Unit 219.
