Upper chest breathing is common in people who are chronically overbreathing or hyperventilating.

​As a result the chest area can become tight, tension in the neck and headaches can be the result because the muscles are not designed to take over the main function of breathing for a long time. 

Focus on engaging the diaphragm (breathing muscle) to support you with your inhalations and exhalations during the day. Our breathing rhythm should be slow and calm compare to heavy or erratic. 

A medical dictionary* gives the following definition: Hyperventilation - breathing at an abnormally rapid rate at rest. This causes a reduction of the carbon dioxide concentration of arterial blood, leading to dizziness, tingling in the lips and limbs, tetanic cramps in the hands and tightness across the chest.

​If continued, hyperventilation may cause loss of consciousness. This sequence of events occurs in the hyperventilation syndrome (HVS).  *Concise Medical Dictionary

Contact Shore Natura Health if you suffer from Hyperventilation / over-breathing. We offer specific breathing courses (Buetyko Method) which will help and support you to reset your breathing parameters to a healthy level. 

Read more about Buteyko on our website www.snhl.co.nz