It’s essential to have control over your breathing when speaking in public. Understanding how to speak from diaphragm plays a role in our breathing process and practicing techniques like clavicular, thoracic, and diaphragmatic breathing can help you unlock the potential of your voice.
- By incorporating these breathing techniques into your routine, you will become proficient at speaking from your diaphragm.
- Strengthening and developing the diaphragm yields benefits such as increased strength, improved breath control, and reduced nervousness.
- Embrace the power of breath control to speak with confidence and witness the effects it has on your voice.
The Impact of Anxiety on Breathing During Public Speaking
When you inhale deeply, you have the ability to soothe your nerves, unwind your body, and provide it with an ample supply of oxygen to enhance your vocal ability. Remarkably, this simple act has the power to alter your relationship with fear. As you engage in the act of breathing, you concentrate your attention and acquire the strength to confront your fears head-on and embrace them willingly.
This is due to the fact that when we are under stress, our muscles tense up, and we hold the tension within our bodies. One of the first areas affected by this tension is our breathing patterns. Anxiety causes us to take shallow and rapid breaths. Consequently, our bodies interpret this as a threat, triggering the automatic response of fight-or-flight.
Anxiety has various physiological effects, including the following:
- Breathing from the upper portion of our lungs.
- Reduced oxygen circulation throughout our entire system, including the prefrontal cortex.
- Panic attacks or hyperventilation.
Holding our breath which leads to a trembling voice and a loss of control over vocalization, pitch, and tone. These are not desirable qualities during important meetings or keynote speeches. Shallow breathing limits the range and richness of sound in your voice, causing it to sound constricted or strained since you are speaking from the top portion of your lungs.
The Significance of Breath Control in Public Speaking
The nervousness and unease that arise prior to speaking in front of others are similar to the emotions our ancestors felt when confronted with a saber-toothed tiger. Our brain perceives both situations as threats. Triggers a fear response without distinguishing between the two causes.
During these moments, our brain releases hormones that flood our system. Adrenaline is released, which raises blood pressure and heart rate. Cortisol is also released, preparing our muscles for danger. While this physiological response is advantageous when encountering a tiger, it is not ideal for speaking. It’s crucial to project an aura of relaxation and confidence when addressing an audience.
Speech anxiety often leads to breathing, creating a cycle; the less air we take in, the worse we feel and the less effectively we speak. Conversely, the worse our speech becomes, the worse we feel, leading to shallower breathing and so on.
As we free our breath through diaphragmatic breathing, we relax our emotions and let go our body tensions.
Brené Brown
The fight or flight response triggered by speech anxiety restricts blood flow to the brain, causing us to freeze up like a deer caught in headlights. However, by ensuring our brain receives oxygen, we can effectively combat speaking jitters. Taking breaths and focusing on slow, deliberate breathing activates our reaction and empowers us to step out from under the metaphorical headlights.
Related: Conquer Your Public Speaking Fear: 5 Proven Strategies For Success
Understanding the Diaphragm and How It Affects Speech
The diaphragm, which is situated between the ribcage and abdomen, plays a role in inhalation. When it contracts, it moves downward, causing the lungs to expand. At the time, the small muscles called intercostal muscles contract and lift the ribcage. This expansion of the ribcage creates a pressure, within the lungs compared to the pressure. As a result, air flows into the lungs from an area of pressure.
On another note, speech expiration relies on muscles such as intercostal and abdominal muscles (while in quiet breathing, it depends on elastic recoil forces). The internal intercostal muscles pull down on the ribcage while the abdominal muscles compress the cavity and push up on diaphragm. This action decreases lung volume, leading to pressure within the lungs and causing air to be expelled. In speech production, specifically controlling airflow relies primarily on the opening or closing of the glottis (folds).
By understanding how inhalation and expiration work together mechanically, we can better comprehend their roles in facilitating breathing and speech production. The coordinated actions of the diaphragm, along with muscles and abdominal muscles, enable inhalation as well as controlled exhalation.
Our ability to breathe deeply and speak relies on these muscles that have a function in maintaining airflow and facilitating vocalization.
Simply put, the diaphragm and abdominal muscles play a role in the process of inhaling and exhaling. Together, they bring about changes in lung volume and pressure, which are essential for gas exchange and speech production. Understanding these mechanisms helps us grasp how our respiratory system functions and enables us to communicate.
Various techniques exist to improve breath control, so let’s explore three: breathing, thoracic breathing, and diaphragmatic breathing:
- Clavicular breathing involves lifting your shoulders and collarbones while you breathe. This type of breathing is often associated with feelings of stress or anxiety. However, relying on this technique for speaking can have effects as it restricts the amount of air reaching the diaphragm.
- In contrast, thoracic breathing entails expanding the ribcage and filling a portion of the lungs. Although this technique provides some air to the diaphragm compared to breathing, it doesn’t fully utilize its potential. Consequently, vocal power and endurance might be compromised.
- Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as belly breathing or deep breathing is highly recommended for controlling your breath while speaking. This technique involves engaging your diaphragm by expanding your abdomen during inhalation and contracting it during exhalation. By doing you can optimize airflow to your diaphragm, and achieve a more resonant voice.
Now that we understand the importance of utilizing our diaphragm and various breathing techniques, let’s explore ways to speak from this core area.
- Maintaining Posture and Alignment: Stand tall, with your feet shoulder width ensuring a steady posture. This helps optimize airflow.
- Relaxation and Releasing Tension: Take a moment to release any tension in your shoulders, neck and jaw. Tension can hinder breath flow and impede the engagement of the diaphragm.
- Mindful Breathing: Start by taking breaths while focusing on expanding your abdomen during inhalation and contracting it during exhalation. Visualize the air filling your lungs as you feel the movement of your diaphragm.
- Vocal Warm ups: Prior to speaking, warm up your voice by performing exercises that incorporate breathing techniques. You can try humming lip trills or sighing sounds to prepare your voice effectively.
Include pauses in your speech to allow for breaths and regain control over your breathing. Pauses do not enhance the impact of your words. By practicing these techniques, you can develop the ability to speak with the support of your diaphragm and unlock the potential of your voice.
Benefits of Diaphragmatic Breathing for Public Speaking
Engaging in diaphragmatic breathing offers several advantages when it comes to public speaking. Let’s explore some of them:
- Improved Vocal Power and Projection: Diaphragmatic breathing helps create a voice. To effectively project your voice and communicate clearly, it’s important to utilize the capacity of your lungs.
- Enhanced Control Over Breathing: By practicing breathing techniques, you can enhance your ability to regulate the flow of breath, maintain a steady pace, and effectively control the rhythm of your speech.
- Reduced Nervousness: Deep and controlled breathing triggers the body’s relaxation response, which helps alleviate anxiety and nervousness often associated with speaking. Diaphragmatic breathing promotes a sense of calmness and confidence.
- Increased Vocal Endurance: Speaking from your diaphragm reduces strain on cords, allowing you to maintain endurance during presentations.
Exercises to Strengthen Your Diaphragm for Breath Control
When first learning the technique of diaphragmatic breathing, it may be more convenient to follow the instructions while lying down.
🙇 Diaphragmatic Breathing Technique (Lying Down)
Lie on your back on a flat surface or in bed, with your knees bent and your head supported. You can place a pillow under your knees for added support to your legs.
Position one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your rib cage. This will enable you to feel the movement of your diaphragm as you inhale and exhale. Take slow breaths in through your nose, allowing your stomach to expand and causing your hand to rise. Keep the hand on your chest as still as possible.
Engage your abdominal muscles, contracting them so that your stomach moves inward, leading your hand to lower as you exhale through pursed lips. The hand on your upper chest should remain as still as possible.
🪑 Diaphragmatic Breathing Technique (Sitting)
As you gain more experience, you can attempt the diaphragmatic breathing technique while sitting in a chair.
Sit in a comfortable position, with your knees bent and your shoulders, head, and neck relaxed.
Place one hand on your upper chest and the other hand just below your rib cage. This will enable you to sense the movement of your diaphragm as you breathe. Inhale slowly through your nostrils, allowing your stomach to expand against your hand. Keep the hand on your chest as still as possible.
Contract your abdominal muscles, causing your stomach to retract, as you exhale through pursed lips. The hand on your upper chest should remain motionless.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Practicing Breath Control
In the world of social media and popular yoga classes, there is a prevalent emphasis on engaging in belly breathing. However, although this is a commendable starting point, especially for individuals who have primarily relied on chest breathing throughout their lives, it is not particularly effective.
Firstly, when we concentrate on belly breathing, we often isolate the chest.
Secondly, genuine functional breathing encompasses movement in all directions, not just forward. Fortunately, there exists a far superior and more functional approach: 360° spherical diaphragmatic breathing.
In this technique, the movement primarily originates from the region surrounding the lower ribs, while also involving the belly and chest to some extent. Ideally, we should aim for approximately 70-80% movement in the belly and lower rib area, with the remaining 20-30% occurring in the chest area.
Deep breathing brings deep thinking and shallow breathing brings shallow thinking.
Elsie Lincoln Benedict
Furthermore, as the diaphragm attaches to all sides of the lower ribs, expansion should also occur on the sides and back. Visualize a balloon situated in your abdominal region. Its inflation and deflation are not restricted to a singular direction; rather, it expands and contracts in all dimensions.
Summary
It’s essential to have control over your breathing when speaking in public. Understanding how the diaphragm plays a role in our breathing process and practicing techniques like clavicular, thoracic, and diaphragmatic breathing can help you unlock the potential of your voice. By incorporating these breathing techniques into your routine, you will become proficient at speaking from your diaphragm.
Strengthening and developing the diaphragm yields benefits such as increased strength, improved breath control, and reduced nervousness. These advantages will empower you to deliver presentations that captivate your audience.
Embrace the power of breath control to speak with confidence and witness the effects it has on your voice. Start your journey towards mastering breath control today to unleash the potential of your abilities.
How does the diaphragm contribute to respiration?
The diaphragm is a muscle that spans across our ribcage area, connecting to our spine and ribs. When we inhale, this muscle contracts, causing our belly to expand and allowing air to enter our lungs. The fresh oxygen carried by this air is vital for producing energy in our bodies. As we exhale, the diaphragm relaxes, gradually, returning our belly and ribcage back to their position as we release the breath. This process occurs automatically. Often goes unnoticed, by us.
What is the role of the diaphragm in our ability to speak?
To make the most of your breath, it is essential to allow your diaphragm to fully descend when you inhale. Then, when you begin speaking, ensure that you activate the epigastrium to create a supported airflow for your voice. Many people mistakenly believe that the diaphragm alone provides breath support. However, this is not accurate. While the diaphragm does play a part in regulating airflow by relaxing and moving upward during exhalation, it does not generate the supported sound. In actuality, it is the epigastrium that accomplishes breath support.
Can others perceive tension in my voice due to a diaphragm?
If you find yourself running out of breath towards the end of your phrases, it is likely because you are not exerting effort rather than having insufficient air in your lungs. Similarly, if you feel compelled to expel air at the end of your phrases, it is not because you are running out of breath but because your abdominal muscles are too tight, which results in loss of air. Moreover, if your voice sounds airy and feeble, it’s not because you haven’t inhaled air; instead, it could be a result of your cords closing improperly and causing air to escape. In any of these scenarios, employing methods like “speaking from the diaphragm” may potentially aid in reducing these problems.
What techniques can aid in improving diaphragmatic performance?
Diaphragmatic breathing is a type of breathing exercise that helps strengthen the diaphragm, a muscle that controls for 80% of our breathing. Some people also refer to this technique as belly or abdominal breathing.
Breathing consists of two phases. When the diaphragm functions as the muscle for inhaling, our breathing is efficient, and the energy needed for respiration remains low during relaxed breathing. However, if someone relies heavily on muscles for inhalation, it requires effort to breathe and reduces efficiency while increasing oxygen consumption.
Controlled breathing techniques focus on breathing to improve efficiency in ventilation, reduce the effort required for respiration, increase diaphragm movement, and enhance gas exchange and oxygen levels. Additionally, practicing breathing aids in creating abdominal pressure for better posture control and allows us to breathe at a slower pace.
How is the diaphragm linked to yoga and esoteric practices?
In Western societies, changes in breathing have traditionally been considered signs of sickness. Unusual breathing patterns, including problems with the control center, neuromuscular disorders, or excessive effort in breathing, have been extensively treated. However, in Eastern cultures, deliberate modifications to breathing have long been employed for healing purposes to influence the functioning of the nervous system and other bodily systems. These practices originated from communities in India, where they emphasized spiritual objectives. Historical discoveries like a statue found in the Indus Valley indicate that breath regulation through yoga was well established early as the 3rd millennium BC and was associated with both spiritual well-being.
