Breathing Through the Ages: How Anatomy Shapes Breath & Why Adults Need 360° Lateral Costal Breathing
Breathing isn’t just about getting air in and out—it’s an adaptive mechanism shaped by anatomy, posture, and nervous system demands. From infancy to adulthood, our breathing patterns evolve to match developmental changes in the ribcage, diaphragm, and nervous system.
Despite this, many breathwork traditions still promote belly breathing as optimal for adults, even though it is anatomically and functionally best suited for infants. For most adults, 360° lateral costal breathing is the most efficient and sustainable method for maintaining postural integrity, pressure management, and nervous system balance.
However, breathing is also a tool—and different techniques serve different purposes. Practices like Wim Hof breathing, Yoga Nidra, and Block Therapy all use specific breath strategies to create unique physiological responses, which we’ll explore after breaking down how breathing changes from babies to adults.
1️⃣ Babies: Why Belly Breathing is Optimal
A baby’s anatomy is built for diaphragmatic breathing (belly breathing) because:
🔬 Baby’s Anatomical Setup
👶 High Larynx: Allows them to breathe and swallow at the same time while nursing.
👃 Obligate Nasal Breathers: Babies must breathe through their nose for efficient oxygenation and airway protection.
🦴 Soft, Horizontal Ribs: Limits ribcage movement, forcing the belly to rise and fall for breath expansion.
💪 Weak Intercostal Muscles: The muscles between the ribs are underdeveloped, so they cannot effectively expand the chest yet.
🫁 Diaphragm-Dominant Breathing: With limited ribcage mobility, the diaphragm pushes downward into the abdomen to allow for air exchange.
🤔 Why is Belly Breathing Ideal for Babies?
✔️ Their ribcage isn’t developed enough for costal breathing.
✔️ Their diaphragm is their strongest respiratory muscle at this stage.
✔️ Their nervous system relies on deep, rhythmic breath to regulate digestion and sleep cycles.
This means belly breathing is essential for babies, but it should naturally shift as they develop postural control and ribcage mobility.
2️⃣ Toddlers & Young Children: The Transition to Ribcage Breathing
As a child becomes more upright and mobile, their ribcage descends and angles downward, allowing for better intercostal engagement and a transition to more balanced breathing.
🔬 Toddler Breathing Anatomy
🦴 Ribcage Angles Downward: Creating more space for rib expansion.
💪 Stronger Intercostal Muscles: Enabling greater thoracic expansion with breath.
💨 More Controlled Breathing: Slower respiratory rate (~24-40 breaths per minute).
🫁 Diaphragm Still Active, But Now Working With the Ribs.
🤔 Why is This Transition Important?
✔️ Encourages proper postural development.
✔️ Prevents over-reliance on the diaphragm, allowing for more balanced breath control.
✔️ Prepares the nervous system for refined breathwork in adulthood.
Children still breathe with some belly movement, but the ribcage should now start engaging more effectively.
3️⃣ Adults: Why 360° Lateral Costal Breathing is Best
Once we reach adulthood, our anatomy demands a different approach to breathing. The ribcage, diaphragm, and core must work together efficiently to maintain postural stability, organ support, and intra-abdominal pressure balance.
🔬 Adult Breathing Anatomy
🦴 Downward Angled Ribs: The ribcage has fully developed, allowing for expansive lateral movement.
💨 Balanced Use of Ribcage & Diaphragm: Breath should expand the ribs outward, not just push into the belly.
⚖️ Core & Pelvic Floor Connection: Belly breathing alone creates excess downward pressure, increasing the risk of pelvic floor dysfunction and organ prolapse.
🛑 Compensatory Patterns Develop Easily: Due to stress and poor posture, many adults become stuck in shallow chest breathing or excessive belly breathing.
🤔 Why is 360° Lateral Costal Breathing the Most Efficient for Adults?
✔️ Distributes intra-abdominal pressure evenly, preventing pelvic floor strain.
✔️ Supports core stability by integrating the diaphragm with the deep core muscles.
✔️ Enhances oxygenation without overloading the diaphragm or causing shallow breathing patterns.
✔️ Maintains postural integrity, reducing stress on the spine and pelvic floor.
4️⃣ The Misunderstanding Around "Diaphragmatic Breath" in Adults
Many yoga and breathwork instructors equate diaphragmatic breathing with belly breathing, but this is a misconception.
🚨 The Problem with Belly Breathing in Adults:
❌ Pushes unnecessary pressure downward, affecting the pelvic floor.
❌ Reduces engagement of the ribcage, making the breath less efficient.
❌ Can reinforce poor posture and spinal instability if done excessively.
💡 True diaphragmatic breathing should be 360°—expanding the ribs outward rather than just pushing the belly forward.
5️⃣ Why Different Breathwork Techniques Use Different Methods
While 360° lateral costal breathing is ideal for daily function, specific breathwork techniques serve different purposes:
🔥 Wim Hof Breathing: Activating the Stress Response
Wim Hof breathwork intentionally increases oxygenation and triggers the sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight response).
✔️ Fast, deep breathing = increased adrenaline & stress resilience.
✔️ Involves belly expansion - but a little more about that:
🔬 The Science Behind Oxygenation & Belly Expansion in Wim Hof Breathing
Wim Hof breathing uses deep, rapid breathing cycles, which involves:
✔️ Hyperventilation – Taking in more air than usual, leading to an increase in oxygen intake and a decrease in carbon dioxide (CO₂).
✔️ Diaphragmatic Expansion – Breathing deep into the lungs (which can make the belly expand) allows for maximum lung volume engagement.
✔️ Oxygen Saturation – In a healthy individual, blood oxygen levels are already 95-99% saturated, meaning you can't "store" much more oxygen—but you can manipulate CO₂ levels, which affects how oxygen is released to tissues.
🧐 What Actually Happens?
Hyperventilation reduces CO₂ levels.
Low CO₂ causes a temporary shift in blood pH (alkalosis).
This creates a temporary "holding pattern" where oxygen stays bound to hemoglobin instead of being easily released into the tissues.
When you hold your breath (after multiple deep breaths), oxygen can then be more readily used by the tissues.
The key isn't the belly expanding—it's the rapid breathing cycles that change gas exchange dynamics
✔️ Creates a controlled stressor that builds tolerance to hypoxia & cold exposure.
🔹 When to Use It? To build resilience, increase energy, or train for extreme conditions.
🌙 Yoga Nidra & Belly Breathing: Deep Nervous System Relaxation
Yoga Nidra breathwork uses belly breathing to trigger the parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) response.
✔️ Slow belly expansion = vagus nerve stimulation = deep relaxation.
✔️ Activates the enteric nervous system (gut-brain connection), promoting digestion.
✔️ Best for meditative and sleep-inducing practices.
A little more here too to explain more fully
🔬 The Vagus Nerve & Breath: Why It Responds to Slow Expansion
The vagus nerve runs from the brainstem down through the thorax (chest) and abdomen, influencing:
✅ Heart rate & blood pressure
✅ Digestion (gut motility & enzyme release)
✅ Inflammatory response & immune function
✅ The relaxation response & emotional regulation
Breathing affects the vagus nerve mechanically and chemically:
1️⃣ Mechanical Stimulation – The diaphragm moves downward, gently massaging the vagus nerve where it passes through the diaphragm and influencing abdominal organs.
2️⃣ Chemoreceptor Response – Slow, deep breathing optimizes CO₂ levels, which signals the brain to shift into a parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) state.
So, why is belly breathing specifically associated with vagus nerve activation?
🤔 Why Belly Expansion is Tied to the Vagus Nerve
🔹 When the diaphragm contracts deeply, it moves downward, creating intra-abdominal pressure that expands the belly outward.
🔹 This mechanical movement stimulates the vagus nerve as it passes through the diaphragmatic hiatus, promoting relaxation.
🔹 Abdominal pressure changes affect the enteric nervous system (the gut’s nervous system), which is heavily controlled by the vagus nerve.
This is why practices like Yoga Nidra, breathwork, and deep relaxation techniques encourage belly breathing—it provides an easy, passive way to tap into the vagus nerve and induce a parasympathetic response.
🔹 When to Use It? For relaxation, sleep, and nervous system down-regulation. In supine not in standing or other poses where it will increase pressure to the pelvic floor.
🟩 Block Therapy: Directing Breath to Release Fascial Adhesions
Block Therapy emphasizes diaphragmatic (belly) breathing because:
✔️ It helps release fascia by directing pressure into the tissue.
✔️ It creates expansion where the body is restricted.
✔️ It isn't about "optimal breathing" but about breaking up restrictions first.
🔹 When to Use It? During deep tissue release or when targeting fascial restrictions.
6️⃣ Why Hypopressives Restore Efficient Breathing & Pressure Management
Hypopressives retrain the body to use breath and posture effectively, reducing pressure mismanagement and restoring core-pelvic floor connection.
✅ Encourages 360° expansion instead of belly breathing.
✅ Teaches reflexive core activation, preventing excessive intra-abdominal pressure.
✅ Helps undo years of dysfunctional breathing patterns caused by stress and poor posture.
✅ Supports pelvic floor integrity by removing downward force.
Final Thoughts: Breathing with Purpose at Every Stage
✔️ Babies need belly breathing because their anatomy requires it.
✔️ Adults function best with 360° lateral costal breathing to maintain core stability & pressure balance.
✔️ Different breathwork styles serve specific purposes, but for daily function, movement, and pelvic health, lateral costal breath is king
