When it comes to your pelvic floor, not holding your breath is important! Many people develop a habit of holding their breath when lifting objects in day-to-day life and while working out. When you hold your breath, you increase your abdominal pressure putting more pressure on your bladder and your pelvic floor. This increase in pressure can lead to bladder incontinence for everyone and vaginal prolapse for those with a vagina.
Tips to help:
- Pursed lip exhale: Instead of holding your breath, do a pursed exhale during the movements. This can be when picking up an object off the floor or when lifting weights in the gym. Purse your lips like you have then around a small coffee straw and slowly blow out. You should feel your abdominal muscles turn on to help you lift.
- Count out loud: When working out count your reps out loud. If you are counting, you are breathing and not holding your breath.
- Breath normally: Do you hold your breath when you are stressed, plucking your eyebrows or watching a scary scene on TV? If you catch yourself holding your breath during the day, cue yourself to breath to put less pressure on your pelvic floor.
- Diaphragmatic breathing: Diaphragmatic breathing is using your diaphragm, the muscle that separates your lungs and heart above from the digestive system and other internal organs below. When the diaphragm contracts, it changes the volume of the chest cavity and helps bring air into your lower lungs. You will notice your lower rib cage expands forwards and out to the sides. A cue that can help is pull the air in deep and low. Here is a video that demos diaphragmatic breathing: Diaphragmatic Breathing | UCLA Integrative Digestive Health and Wellness Program
Diaphragmatic breathing can help with many things:
- Improve Digestion
- Decrease acid reflux
- Decrease constipation
- Muscle relaxation
- Decrease anxiety
- Improve sleep quality
Resource:
Natural breath control during lifting tasks: effect of load – PubMed (nih.gov)
Pelvic Organ Prolapse – PubMed (nih.gov)
