I know someone who has the word BREATHE tattooed across her thumb. I often joke with her, “What? You can’t remember to breathe without looking at your tattoo?” It really isn’t a laughing matter though! Busyness has somehow become a badge of honor in this world where we are moving at breakneck speed, and it shows in the trickle-down effect all that busyness is having on our health. We really don’t have time to breathe.

We are too busy to eat right, too busy to exercise, too busy to go to the doctor (and too busy to follow their recommendations when we do), too busy to spend time with our kids, and too busy to take some time to just relax. We are anxious, frazzled, distracted, and tired… oh so very tired. Everyone’s tired of being tired and yet, we carry on with it like nobody’s business. It doesn’t have to be this way!

Stop what you are doing for just one minute, close your eyes and pay attention to how you are breathing. Do you breathe through your mouth or through your nose? If you breathe through your nose, do you feel like you can get enough air, or do you feel like you are going to suffocate if you don’t open your mouth? Do you have a feeling of tightness or anxiety in your chest, or do you feel relaxed? When you breathe in, does only your upper chest rise, or does your entire belly expand? Do you breathe quickly and shallowly or slowly and deeply?

Breathing isn’t just a get ‘er done function; HOW we breathe really matters! There is a common thread that runs through crowded teeth, jaw pain, obstructive sleep apnea, mouth breathing, speech issues, and swallowing problems, often referred to as orofacial myofunctional disorders or OMD’s. All of these are merely symptoms flashing like neon lights to warn you of a deeper problem, the most critical of which involve the airway.

Emma Lazarus once said, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” I couldn’t have said it better myself! Have questions? Call or go online to make an appointment for a free 30-minute consultation…and meanwhile, take time to breathe!