Enjoy your Breath
Focused Breathing practice will benefit our health in numerous ways.
Listed below are some of the benefits of adopting a daily breathing practice.
Physical:
- relaxes and calms body
- lowers blood pressure
- increases lung capacity
- improved oxygen flow to vital organs, muscles and brain
Mental:
- stress and anxiety relief
- gives space to gain composure in emotionally-charged sitautions
- increases oxygen to the blood and causes body to release endorphins
- aides focus and meditation practices
And best of all-breathing is FREE.
Below are some exercises to get you started.
Diaphragmatic Breathing:
- Lie on your back, with your eyes closed and hands resting on you lower belly.
- Inhale through the nose and fill your belly and chest with air.
- Exhale through the mouth slowly and relax your abdomen and ribcage.
- Relax and practice for 3-5 minutes.
4-7-8 Breathing Technique
- Inhale slowly through the nose for an even count of 4.
- Hold the breath for a slow count of 7.
- Exhale through the mouth for a slow count of 8.
- Repeat at least 4 times.
Note: If these counts seem to high for you, or cause anxiety, reduce the count until you can get through the exercise easily.
Balloon Breath
- Sit up tall with an elongated spine.
- Inhale through your nose and imagine blowing up a balloon inside from your neck to your lower belly.
- Keep your shoulders relaxed and exhale smoothly while imagining fully deflating your balloon.
- Repeat for at least 1o rounds of breath.
