Tai Chi for Relaxation Stress vs. Shallow Breathing

Do we have shallow breath because we are under stress, or are we stressed because we have shallow breath? Both. Certain typical breathing patterns trigger physiological and psychological stress and anxiety reactions. Many of these unhealthy breathing patterns are just bad habits, and they can be re-trained. Do not take this recommendation lightly. Find some time each day to practice deep breathing and build some healthy breathing habits, and an improved quality of life will be your reward. Click to learn how Chinese medicine treats Gout.

Stress is sometimes confused as being only on either a physical or mental level. But actually stress is often both mental and physical. We have different ways to stress ourselves physically. For example, bad posture, improper alignment will create stress on the joints and the vertebrae. A collapsed spine can create stress on the individual vertebrae and on the internal organs. Our body is not designed for leaning or collapsing into the joints. It is designed to use the muscles to support the bones. When we lean into the joint, we put stress on the ligament. Over a certain period of time, this stress can take a toll on the ligaments leading to swelling, shortness, and atrophy of muscles, as well as arthritis. If you do not use certain muscles, you lose them, and that creates stress on other groups of muscles.