Breathe For Life - Assessment

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The Breathing Assessment Questionnaire

Now repeat the same procedure for the exhalation. Breathe out of your nose (with your mouth closed) aiming for the best quality exhalation you can manage for as long as you comfortably can.

Did your upper chest drop as you breathed out?
If so, was it from the start, middle or end of the breath?
Did your chest drop a lot or only a little?
Did your abdominal area move inwards or outwards?
Did you move only the abdominal area, or was it with the upper chest as well?
If so, which part moved first?
Which part did the most moving?
Did you hunch over and roll your shoulders forward?
If so, from the start, middle or end?

Once again, breathing out your best and longest breath through your nose only, carefully observe the quality and sound.

Was your exhale: short, erratic, fragile?
Was your exhale strong and powerful, or soft or weak?
Did you expel the breath with what seemed like great urgency, or did you take your time?
Did you struggle and force the breath out, or was it easy?
Do you feel like you could have breathed out more, but somehow felt unable to continue?
How did it sound: quiet, weak, soft, smooth, erratic, strong, powerful or anything else?

To complete the assessment, you will now evaluate both the inhalation and exhalation as one. With your mouth closed, breathe in and out of your nose a few times. Once again, breathe for as long as you comfortably can, making it your best quality breath. Remember not to strain.

Which part/s moves the most: upper chest, shoulders, ribcage, abdomen?
What part/s moves first?
What part/s moves last?
Is there a big difference in duration between your inhale and exhale? If so, which is shorter?
Is there a big difference in the quality between the two?
Which breath sounds weaker?
Which do you feel more comfortable with and why?

After doing this assessment, take a moment to think of what you felt and observed. Now reflect on the times in your life that your breathing stopped you from participating in certain activities that you really wanted to do.

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