Modern life moves quickly. Our breathing often reflects our fast paced lives. Without thought, we match our breathing patterns with our hurried minds and overscheduled lifestyles. Reducing our breathing patterns to rapid and shallow inhalations and exhalations. It seems innocent enough. What’s the big deal? The cumulative effect of breathing, too fast and shallow, leads to an oxygen starvation throughout the body. That’s a long-term problem in the making.
Our health physical, mental and emotional, are all a direct reflection of adequate oxygen distribution. Premature aging, mental sluggishness, decreased immune strength, and reduced vitality are all issues contributed to by a lack of oxygen. There is also strong evidence which suggests stress is causal factor in disease.
The simple answer, to stress overload and oxygen depletion, is to slow down, get present and remember to breathe, deeply and powerfully. Today’s post teaches you, 5 specific breathing practices, to help you relieve stress daily. For best results practice by following the sequence, in order, as listed below. By practicing each step you can positively effect your mental clarity, personal wellness and overall happiness.
1. Inhale
2. Space between inhale/exhale
3. Exhale
4. Space after exhale before inhale
- Silently, to yourself, notice the length of your inhale & exhale
- Give a count to the length of the inhale
- Give a count to the length of the exhale
- Now match the in/out breath to the same pace.
- Use the part of breath that has the longer count to set the pace.
- For example if you are inhaling for a count of 3 make your exhalation equal 3 counts. Direct ratio 3:3
- Follow this practice for 3-5minutes
- Now extend the rhythm of your in and out breath by two to three counts. If your matching rhythm was 3 counts now extend it to 5 or 6 counts. Direct ratio 5:5 or 6:6.
- You will know the appropriate amount to increase the rhythm of your breath by the feeling you have in your body. If you are grasping for breath you have extended too long. If you feel no shift in your mental state to a sense of calm add more length to your breathe.
- Follow extended rhythm for 3-5minutes
- With extended or base count rhythm keep in/out breath matching
- While inhaling raise the right hand towards the face and to nose
- Take thumb and 4th finger on the right hand at top of inhale close off both nostrils for the same pace as in/out ratio
- For example if you are breathing in for a count of 3 hold for 3 and exhale for 3 counts. 3:3:3
- Follow this practice for 3-5 minutes
- With extended or base count rhythm keep in/out breath matching
- While inhaling raise the right hand towards the face and to nose
- After completion of exhale take thumb and 4th finger on the right hand close off both nostrils for the same pace as in/out ratio
- For example if you are breathing in for a count of 3 hold for 3 and exhale for 3 counts. 3:3:3
- Follow this practice for 3-5 minutes
- With extended or base count rhythm keep in/out breath matching
- At the top of inhale close off nostrils with 4th finger and thumb hold breath then exhale
- After exhale close off both nostrils with 4th finger and thumb hold breath then follow back to inhale
- For example if you are breathing in for a count of 3 hold for 3 and exhale for 3 counts and hold at bottom of exhale for 3. 3:3:3:3
- Follow this practice for 3-5 minutes
