You’re stressed, anxious, frustrated, angry or some other feeling you’d rather not be feeling right now. You wish things in your life were different but they are what they are. You wish you could turn off those less-than-helpful feelings but they hang around like a bad smell.
Did you know there’s something you already do all day, every day that can help? Something that could transform your life if you focused on it?
You would quickly die if you didn’t do it in your every waking and sleeping hour.
It’s always at your disposal, free for you to use whenever you choose.
Yes, it’s breathing.
You take it for granted. Your body needs it. You know that you don’t have to think about it.
But are you utilizing its full power on a daily basis to transform how you feel? Probably not.
The Problem With Your Breathing
Take a moment right now to notice your breathing.
Are you taking short, shallow breaths? Are you feeling stressed or anxious?
Does it feel like there’s a weight sitting on your chest?
With all the stresses you have to deal with every day (work, family, financial, physical), you probably ignore your breathing. This leads to those short, shallow breaths.
By only using a fraction of your lung capacity, you’re robbing your body of the oxygen it needs to operate effectively. This can lead to sleep disorders, heart disease, digestive issues, fatigue and premature aging, among other things.
Breathing is one of the body’s most effective ways of eliminating toxins. Not breathing fully creates a build-up of toxins which contributes to these health issues.
Take a Moment to Breathe
When was the last time you felt your breath reach deep into your belly? Try it.
Take in a slow, deep breath through your nose. Feel it fill your chest. Breathe in more deeply and feel it go through your diaphragm, just below your rib cage, into your belly. Relax the muscles in your belly and your gut.
Hold it there for a moment.
Then slowly relax and allow the breath to gently be released through your nose.
Repeat your delicious, deep breath two more times.
How do you feel?
This amazing transformation is available to you at any time and takes almost no time.
You won’t miss any deadlines. Your world won’t end if you take a moment to breathe deeply.
The Benefits of Breathing Correctly
In the world of yoga and most other ancient teachings, breathing is one of the cornerstones of the practice. In yoga, it’s called pranayama. Prana = life force, vital energy, the breath. Ayama = to extend, draw out.
Focusing on the breath and using certain breathing techniques have proven to:
- reduce stress (the leading cause of 90% of illnesses)
- improve heart functions
- improve focus
- facilitate better digestion
- slow down the aging process
- create space for better decision-making and less reactionary thinking and acting.
And you don’t even need a prescription.
Breathing is a critical part of mindfulness. It can create that powerful pause between a stimulus and how you choose to respond instead of reacting.
“Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile.” ― Thich Nhat Hahn
It allows us to momentarily disconnect from the craziness that surrounds us and escape to our own happy place.
Breathing gives us space to reflect without feeling pushed to do the next thing on our list.
From my own personal experience, taking a deep breath or three can improve relationships and help you lose weight (I discuss how in my Mindful Body program).
Start using this powerful, free tool that’s always accessible to you wherever you are to transform your life and your health.
Simple Steps
If you don’t normally think about your breathing, set a timer on your phone, computer or wherever you spend most of your time. A few times a day, when the alarm sounds, take a moment to notice your current breathing. No judgments. Simply notice.
Notice your current mental and emotional state. Could you benefit from relaxing or being energized?
Take a few moments to give your body what it needs. Focus on your breathing. Practice a relaxing or energizing breathing technique in that moment.
There are many types of breathing techniques. They each have their own purposes and benefits.
For a calming effect, make sure your exhale is about twice as long as your inhale. For example, slowly count to 3 as you inhale through your nose. Pause for 1-2 counts. Then slowly exhale through your nose as you count to 6.
For an energizing effect, try the Breath of Fire which utilizes longer inhales and short, powerful exhales. Click here to read more about how to perform this breathing technique.
When you focus on your breathing and how it’s affecting your body and mind, it’s hard to focus on and stress about anything else.
Give yourself the gift of a few precious moments of focused breathing.
“Smile, breathe and go slowly.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh
What breathing practices have you incorporated into your day? How have you benefited from focusing on your breathing?
To learn more about the benefits of breathing correctly and a variety of breathing techniques, check out this article at Groom & Style: Breathing Techniques: A Guide to the Science and Methods