Are You Breathing Well? Introducing the D-Spot with Jane Tarrant

Most of us don’t give much thought to how we breathe. After all, it happens automatically.

But how we breathe can be influenced by things such as posture, tension, stress and the way we use our bodies throughout the day.

For this guest article, we’ve handed things over to Jane Tarrant, a highly respected breathing habits educator and trainer based locally in Bicester.

Jane has spent years helping people understand the way breathing habits can influence how they feel and function. Her work spans everything from anxiety, panic attacks, breathlessness and chronic tension through to performance, recovery and breathing efficiency in high-level sport.

She teaches internationally, has worked with elite athletes and Olympians, and has helped bring breathing education to a much wider audience through her TEDx talk and features in the national press, including The Telegraph and The i Paper.

What we particularly like about Jane’s approach is that she takes something most of us never think about and makes it practical, understandable and relevant to everyday life.

Here, Jane introduces a simple idea she calls the D-spot.

Introducing the D-spot

By Jane Tarrant

Believe it or not, breathing habits can deteriorate and most of us don’t realise it.

Some people are aware that they “don’t breathe well”, perhaps experiencing anxiety, panic attacks, heavy breathing, breathlessness or a feeling of not being able to get enough air. Most people, however, never give breathing much thought.

It’s automatic, isn’t it?

Well, yes — but the position of your body can have an effect on how easily your diaphragm is able to work.

For example, if you slump your shoulders forwards or sit with your spine curved into a C-shape — as many of us do on the sofa, in a long meeting or while working on a laptop — you may restrict the movement available to the diaphragm.

This is where the D-spot comes in.

How to find your D-spot

Glide your index finger down your sternum, or breastbone. When it drops off the bottom into the split of your ribs, count approximately three fingers down.

Just below this is what I call your D-spot.

It should feel relatively soft and bouncy and may sit around a hand’s width above your belly button.

Now sit or stand in a comfortable, open posture and imagine yourself tall rather than rigid.

As you breathe in, the D-spot should gently move forwards and away from you.

Ideally, there shouldn’t be lots of movement through the upper chest or a large bulging movement around the belly button.

What can your breathing tell you?

Some people develop dysfunctional breathing patterns where this movement becomes restricted or even moves in the opposite direction.

For many people, though, the issue is simply that their usual posture or muscle tension makes it harder for the diaphragm to move freely. The body then begins recruiting more of the muscles around the upper chest, shoulders and neck to assist with breathing.

These muscles are very useful when we genuinely need them — during exercise, for example — but we don’t necessarily want to rely on them all day.

The D-spot gives you a simple place to check what your breathing is doing.

Rather than trying to take a huge breath, see whether you can create a quiet, comfortable breath with gentle movement through the D-spot.

If it feels difficult or restricted, sometimes simply changing your sitting position, supporting yourself differently in your chair or standing and moving for a few moments can make breathing feel easier.

Most importantly, breathing shouldn’t feel like hard work.

Checking in with your D-spot occasionally during the day can be a useful reminder to notice your posture, reduce unnecessary tension and give your body a chance to breathe a little more naturally.

Jane Tarrant

Find out more about Jane

Jane Tarrant is the founder of Link Breathing and works internationally as a breathing habits educator and trainer.

You can learn more about Jane and her work at Link Breathing or watch her TEDx talk, “How to Optimise Your Breathing Habits”.

Aceso Chiropractic

At Aceso Chiropractic, we’re interested in much more than simply where something hurts. Breathing, movement, balance, posture and the way the nervous system coordinates the body can all form part of the bigger picture.

A big thank you to Jane for sharing a little of her world with us.

Please note: This article is for general information and education only and is not intended to provide individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are experiencing persistent or unexplained breathlessness, chest pain or other concerning symptoms, please seek appropriate medical advice.