Breathe For Life - Assessment

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The Breathing Assessment Questionnaire

This assessment will require you to notice what you are feeling as well as observe what is happening in front of a mirror. It is important to make sure that you NEVER STRAIN when trying to take a deep breath.

In front of a mirror, with a bare chest or a sports top, take the longest, deepest and best quality breath that you can comfortably take. Do this a few times before you assess it.

Did you breathe in through your nose or mouth?
Did you breathe out through your nose or mouth?
If mouth on either occasion, is this how you normally breathe throughout the day, or only when you take a deep breath?

For the rest of the assessment, breathe in with your nose only. Keep your mouth completely closed. We will firstly assess the inhalation. Draw your best breath in through the nose only for as long as you comfortably can.

Did the upper chest move at all?
If so, was it predominately or only a little?
Did your chest feel like it tightened up while you breathed in?
Did you lift your shoulders up as you breathed in?
Did your whole torso seem to lift as well?
Did your abdominal area expand?
Did both your abdominal and chest area expand? If so, one at a time, or both together?

Inhaling again, observe the quality and sound of the breath.

Was your inhale: short, erratic, fragile?
Was your inhale strong and powerful or soft or weak?
Did you breathe in with what seemed like great urgency, or did you take your time?
Did you gasp or struggle to breathe in, or was it easy?
Did you feel like you could have breathed in more, but somehow felt stuck at a certain point?

How did it sound: quiet, weak, soft, smooth, erratic, strong, powerful or anything else?

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