The Power of Breathing

Eckhart Tolle said that 'one conscious breath in and out is a meditation.'

We all breathe all day long, but how many of those breaths are actually conscious ones?

Controlled, conscious breathing not only keeps your mind and body functioning at their best but it can also lower blood pressure, promote feelings of calm and relaxation, help you to de-stress and increase your awareness- now who doesn't want a little bit of that!

So if you are feeling stressed, anxious, under pressure, over-worked or under-slept, then all you need is 10 minutes or less to focus on you breathing.

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We have compiled 3 simple breathing exercises for you to try at home- by purposefully changing the way we breathe, we can change the way we feel and how our bodies react to what’s going on around us.

These exercises can be done anywhere, anytime. You may want to hide yourself away in a quiet room for a while, you can be sat at your desk, laid in bed or you could even be walking somewhere. You will gain benefits from these exercises no matter where you are.

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Belly Breathing

Also known as diaphragmatic or abdominal breathing. It gets its name from the way it uses the diaphragm to fully saturate the lungs with oxygen. Aside from allowing us to take fuller, deeper breaths it also aids relaxation, improves digestion and strengthens the lungs.

  1. Either sit or lay comfortably.

  2. Rest one hand over your stomach and one hand over your chest.

  3. Now breath in slowly through your nose for as long as you can, feeling your stomach push against your hand as air fills the deepest point in your lungs.

  4. Exhale through your mouth for as long as you can feeling your stomach contract back in.

  5. Repeat for a total of 5 to 10 minutes.

Counting Breath

This breathing exercise helps to cleanse away distracting thoughts and builds concentration power. It is also a good way of increasing your breath stamina. If you find you can't get all the way to 10 the first time don't worry, go as far as you can, and increase it each time.

  1. Sit or lay comfortably with your eyes closed

  2. Begin by quietly being aware of your natural breath for a moment...

  3. When you are ready begin counting with the breath...

  4. Breathe in for the count of 1... breath out for the count of 1

  5. Breathe in for the count of 2... breathe out for the count of 2

  6. Breathe in for the count of 3... breathe out for the count of 3

  7. Breathe in for the count of 4... breath out for the count of 4

  8. Breathe in for the count of 5... breathe out for the count of 5

  9. Breathe in for the count of 6... breathe out for the count of 6

  10. Breathe in for the count of 7... breath out for the count of 7

  11. Breathe in for the count of 8... breathe out for the count of 8

  12. Breathe in for the count of 9... breathe out for the count of 9

  13. Breathe in for the count of 10... breathe out for the count of 10

 

The 4-7-8 Technique

This breathing technique can help you to immediately tame the fight-or-flight response misfiring in your brain, cool your body’s inflammatory response to all those stress hormones, and halt anxiety or panic.

This simple breathing technique is also thought to be very helpful in assisting you to fall asleep so is a great one to do laid in bed.

 

  1. Lay or sit with one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest.

  2. Place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, right behind your front teeth.

  3. Breathe in deeply through your nose for a count of 4, feeling your stomach expand in the process.

  4. Hold your breath for a count of 7.

  5. Release your breath from your mouth with a whooshing sound for a count of 8, feeling your stomach contract.

  6. Your chest should remain still throughout- there should only be movement in the stomach.

  7. Repeat at least 3 times.

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I really hope you have found this blog post useful- By learning to consciously connect to our breath and encourage its natural rhythms, we can begin to harmonise the mind and body. Let us know how you get on!