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Camille: Welcome to "Health Break" by UPMC Health Plan, your quick guide to health, wellness, and how to make the most of your health insurance plan. Listen during your coffee break, lunch break, or anytime you need a break. I’m your host, Dr. Camille Clarke-Smith. I help to oversee the quality of the plans we offer at UPMC Health Plan.
Alex: And I’m your co-host, Alex Treanor. I’m a senior health coach who works with our members on healthy lifestyle habits and goals. This is your… "Health Break."
Camille: Hey everyone! Dr. Camille Clarke-Smith here. Today we’re revisiting PA Takes a Breath, a UPMC Health Plan virtual event featuring Dr. Matthew Hurford and UPMC Health Plan health coaches Cassie, Carla, and Barrett.
Together we’ll practice a deep breathing exercise that you can do anywhere, anytime—and learn more about what deep breathing can do for your health.
Dr. Hurford: Hello, and welcome to PA Takes a Breath! On behalf of all of us at UPMC Health Plan, I want to thank you for being here. You may be surprised by what just a few deep breaths can do!
My name is Dr. Matthew Hurford, and I’ll be your host today. For the next five minutes, I encourage you to really focus on this moment and this exercise. Cassie will get us started by describing how to create a calm environment.
Cassie: Thanks, Dr. Hurford. To prepare for our exercise today, and for anytime you want to take a few moments for deep breathing, start first by finding a quiet location. Remove distractions by closing the door, turning off your TV or music, and quieting any notifications or alerts.
Next, choose a comfortable seated position, either on the floor, a cushion, or a chair. Close your eyes if that feels right to you or soften your gaze by looking downward. Ground yourself in this location, feeling the floor beneath you. Rest your palms on your legs if that feels natural or leave them at your side. Allow your face and jaw to relax. Your teeth should separate a little while your lips stay together. Drop your shoulders and let your back “melt” into the floor or chair.
You’re all set. Feel free to readjust as you need to throughout this practice today. Carla will now lead us through our deep breathing exercise.
Carla: Thank you, Cassie, and welcome everyone. Today we are going to be doing an exercise for deep breathing called diaphragmatic breathing, also known as belly breathing.
Take some time to relax your shoulders and start by taking an inhale through your nose for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and pause at the top of your inhale. Exhale for 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Pause.
And begin again. Breathe in for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and pause. Exhale, relax your jaw, for 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Pause.
That’s great. Let’s do it again. Breathe in for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Pause here. Relax your shoulders for 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1.
That’s all—Barrett will tell you know about how deep breathing can benefit your health.
Barrett: Thank you, Carla, and great job everyone. Now that was a quick and simple, yet powerful deep breathing activity. But you may be wondering, what exactly can deep breathing do for me, and how does it work?
Well, stress, anxiety, and depression can appear as both physical and mental difficulties. The good news is that deep breathing can help you deal with both. For example, your body’s stress response, better known as “fight or flight,” can increase or elevate your blood pressure. Over time, this may increase your risk for heart disease, or it may suppress your immune system, making you more susceptible to colds and other illnesses.
Also, unmanaged stress can reduce your ability to think clearly, and it can reduce your ability to control your impulses, which leads to poor decision-making. Deep breathing triggers your body’s relaxation response, enabling you to stay poised even in difficult situations, come up with the best solutions, protect and cultivate your relationships, and increase your overall productivity.
Now how does it work? Deep breathing increases the overall amount of oxygen in your blood. Once your brain detects this increase in oxygen, it will signal the body to decrease the amount of stress hormones in the blood. This creates a calming effect, which enables you to realign both your physical and mental state, even in times of discomfort.
Regular daily practice of deep breathing can positively shift your overall health and well-being. The bottom line: Deep breathing is like hitting the reset button for your mind and your body. Back to you, Dr. Hurford.
Dr. Hurford: Thank you, Barrett. And thank you to everyone who participated today! When it comes to mental and behavioral health resources, we’ve got you covered. You can find activities like today’s exercise by visiting the UPMC MyHealth Matters blog or following us on social media. Thanks again, PA, for taking five minutes for your mental health today. Have a great week.
Camille: We hope you’ve enjoyed this replay of PA Takes a Breath. Visit the show notes for this episode to learn more about the programs that are available to you based on your coverage type.
Find show notes and more information at upmchealthplan.com/podcast. Join us as we explore other health and wellness topics in the next episode of "Health Break."
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes. It is not medical care or advice. Individuals in need of medical care should consult their personal care provider.
Views and opinions expressed by the hosts and guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of UPMC Health Plan and its employees.
