Shallow breathing, thoracic breathing, costal breathing or chest breathing1 is the drawing of minimal breath into the lungs, usually by drawing air into the chest area using the intercostal muscles rather than throughout the lungs via the diaphragm. Shallow breathing can result in or be symptomatic of rapid breathing and hypoventilation. Most people who breathe shallowly do it throughout the day and they are almost always unaware of the condition.
In upper lobar breathing, clavicular breathing, or clavicle breathing, air is drawn predominantly into the chest by the raising of the shoulders and collarbone (clavicles), and simultaneous contracting of the abdomen during inhalation.2 A maximum amount of air can be drawn this way only for short periods of time, since it requires persistent effort.
Conditions
Several conditions are marked by shallow breathing, including: anxiety disorders, asthma, hyperventilation, pneumonia, pulmonary edema, and shock.
Overly shallow breathing, also known as hypopnea, may result in hypoventilation. During sleep, breathing originates from the diaphragm, which is sometimes impaired in people with neuromuscular disorders or central sleep apnea.3
References
References
- "39.3B: Types of Breathing". Biology LibreTexts. 2018-07-17. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
- Dudley Ralph Appelman (1967). Breathing for Singing. Indiana University Press. ISBN 9780253351104.
- Cumpston, Evan; Chen, Philip (2025), "Sleep Apnea Syndrome", StatPearls, Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, PMID 33232089, retrieved 2025-12-09
Further reading
Further reading
- Bach, J.R. (1999). Guide to the evaluation and management of neuromuscular disease. Philadelphia, PA: Hanley & Belfus.
- Gay, PC., & Edmonds, L.C. (1995). Severe hypercapnia after low-flow oxygen therapy in patients with neuromuscular disease and diaphragmatic dysfunction. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 70(4), 327–330.
- Hsu, A., & Staats, B. (1998). "Postpolio" sequelae and sleep-related disordered breathing. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 73, 216–224.
- Krachman, S., & Criner, G.J. (1998). Hypoventilation syndromes. Clinics in Chest Medicine, 19(l),139-155.