This article is about the depth of breath. In addition to the definition of the term, it is on the one hand about the functions and benefits. On the other hand, it will be illuminated which diseases and complaints can occur in humans in connection with the depth of breath.
What is the depth of breath?
Depth of breath is a critical factor in the adequate delivery of oxygen to the blood and carbon dioxide to the lungs. Breathing depth depends on several variables, particularly the relationship between respiratory volume and respiratory rate. The respiratory volume is the amount of air taken in during one inhalation. Under normal conditions, it is 0.5 l at rest. In the case of increased oxygen demand, e.g. due to exertion, it can be significantly increased. Respiratory rate is the number of breaths per unit time and is usually measured per minute. The normal value for a healthy adult human is 12 – 18 breaths per minute. From both values, the respiratory minute volume can be determined as a product. For example, 12 breaths per minute at a respiratory volume of 0.5 l result in a respiratory minute volume of 6 l, which is sufficient to meet the oxygen demand at rest in a healthy person. To compensate for increased demand, both volume and frequency can be increased. The one of the two that predominates determines the depth of breathing. If the frequency is increased more, the respiratory volume decreases and one speaks of shallow breathing. Conversely, if the additional demand is met more by an increase in volume, we are dealing with deep or deepened breathing.
Function and task
Breathing depth is a critical factor in ensuring that the blood is adequately supplied with oxygen and that carbon dioxide is released into the lungs. This process is called gas exchange. During inhalation, air enters the throat through the mouth or nose and is passed from there through the larynx, trachea, and bronchi. This part of the respiratory system is responsible only for conducting, warming and moistening the breath. The transfer, in which oxygen is released into the blood and CO2 is absorbed into the lungs, takes place exclusively in the alveoli (air sacs), which are located at the end of the respiratory tract. The basic prerequisite for this process to function adequately is sufficient ventilation of this area. When the depth of breathing is reduced, this condition is not met, no or not enough oxygen-saturated air gets there, and the time for exchange is too short. The result is that not enough O2 can be absorbed into the blood and the demand is not met. The air is then merely moved back and forth in the airways, without benefit to the body. Such a disturbance leads to a chemical change in the blood composition, which is registered by receptors and reported to the respiratory center. From there, an attempt is made to compensate for the deficit by increasing the respiratory minute volume. However, this can lead to an aggravation of the situation if the compensation is mainly achieved by increasing the frequency. The individual breaths become shorter and shorter, the breath volume decreases and less and less air reaches the alveoli. The situation is exactly the opposite if the additional demand for oxygen is mainly met by deepening the breath. The respiratory volume increases, a lot of O2-saturated blood reaches the area where gas exchange takes place and stays there long enough. This is also the reason why in some breathing techniques there is a pause at the end of inhalation and exhalation: to prolong the exchange phases.
Diseases and ailments
Diseases that affect respiratory function can affect the lung tissue itself or surrounding structures. Respiratory diseases are classified according to several criteria. One factor is the duration of the disease, divided into acute and chronic pulmonary diseases. Another criterion is based on the location of the disease. If the lung tissue is affected, the disease is called restrictive; if the airways are affected, it is called obstructive. In restrictive diseases, inhalation is initially restricted; in obstructive diseases, exhalation is initially restricted. Typical restrictive diseases are pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis. In pneumonia, the lung tissue is acutely inflamed by pathogens, its expansibility is reduced as a result, and inspiration is diminished.Pulmonary fibrosis develops over a long period of time as a result of inhalation of harmful substances and then becomes chronic. Known from earlier times are the silicosis of miners or the asbestosis in workers who surrounded themselves a lot with the insulating material asbestos. The consequences are the same as in pneumonia, but differ in the chronic course, with a progressive aggravation. A classic obstructive condition is chronic obstructive bronchitis (COPD). Recurrent inflammation of the airways leads to a narrowing of the same due to the swelling of the walls of the bronchial mucosa and the excess production of mucus. Affected people predominantly have problems with exhalation, leaving more stale air in the lungs than normally saturated air. Another typical obstructive disease is bronchial asthma, an acute condition that occurs in attacks. An overreaction to certain stimuli causes spasm (spasm) of the bronchial muscles, significantly restricting the cross-section of the bronchi. Regardless of the cause, all diseases result in more or less severe shortness of breath (dyspnea). However, the severity of the breathlessness can vary greatly depending on the severity of the disease. Severe asthma attacks, for example, can be life-threatening. The cause of impaired depth of breath can also be a disorder of respiratory mechanics. During inhalation, the lungs follow the excursions of the rib cage due to their special construction. A restriction of the mobility leads thereby to an impairment of the depth of breath and if the compensation does not function any longer sufficiently, likewise to the shortness of breath. Typical diseases are ankylosing spondylitis, osteoporosis and other diseases that lead to stiffening of the thoracic spine.
