Most of us could breathe more deeply and more efficiently. When we are stressed or anxious, we tend to breathe more shallowly, and this can have a negative impact on our health – reducing the amount of oxygen we are taking in. Doing some simple breathing exercises on a daily basis or when you feel your stress barometer is rising, can be a great tool to calm your nervous system. And best of all these exercises are portable – you can do them anywhere and anytime. Read further to find out the benefits and techniques of three different deep breathing exercises.
The Complete Breath
The Benefits:
- purifies the bloodstream
- develops chest and diaphragm muscles
- strengthens the lungs, thorax and abdomen
- increases resistance to colds
- aids digestion
- clears up phlegm
- helps to lift depression
- calms the nervous system
The Technique:
- Sit in a comfortably cross-legged position or in a chair.
- Straighten your back, which will straighten your thorax for easier breathing.
- Inhale slowly through the nose, breathing deeply, consciously.
- Take five seconds to fill the lower part of the lungs, expanding the ribs and pushing the abdomen out.
- Hold the breath for 1-5 seconds.
- Exhale slowly until you have emptied the lungs.
- Repeat 4-5 times more.
The Do’s and Don’ts:
- DO establish a rhythmic rise and fall of your abdomen, to promote regular breathing.
- DO attempt to breathe inaudibly after you have gotten the knack of deep breathing.
- DO concentrate on your breathing alone, with your eyes closed, if you wish. It serves to do the technique better, but it is also a preparation for meditation.
- DO push your abdomen out as you breathe in and pull the abdomen in as you breathe out.
- Do give an extra snort as you exhale to rid yourself of stale waste-matter in the bottom of the lungs.
- DO NOT slump. For maximum efficiency the thorax must be straight.
The Alternate Nostril Breath
The Benefits:
- calming effect on the nervous system
- purifies the bloodstream and aerates the lungs
- improves digestion and appetite
- helps to overcome insomnia
- soothes headaches
- helps to free the mind of anxiety and depression
The Technique:
- Sit in a comfortably cross-legged position, back straight.
- Raise your RIGHT hand and place your ring finger against your LEFT nostril, closing it off.
- Inhale deeply and slowly through the RIGHT nostril to the count of four.
- Close off the RIGHT nostril with your thumb and retain the breath for 1-4 seconds.
- Open the LEFT nostril and exhale to the count of 4-8 seconds. The longer you can make the exhalation, the better. Concentrate on completely emptying the lungs.
- Breathe in through the same LEFT nostril to the count of 4.
- Close off the nostril with the ring finger again and hold to the count of 1-4 seconds.
- Exhale through the RIGHT nostril to the count of 4-8 seconds. This makes up one round.
- Repeat these rounds of alternate nostril breathing five more times
The Do’s and Don’ts:
- DO practice whenever you need calming – if you are nervous, upset or irritable.
- DO NOT push yourself with the holding position or by increasing the count.
The Cleansing Breath
The Benefits:
- clears lungs, sinuses and nasal passages
- aids digestion
- purifies the bloodstream and clears the head
- relieves colds
- strengthens the lungs, thorax and abdomen
- stimulates the liver, spleen and pancreas
- tones the nervous system
The Technique:
- Inhale deeply, pushing the abdomen out, taking in as much air as possible in the space of 1 second.
- Whack your abdomen in forcefully to expel the air through the nostrils.
- Inhale again by pushing the abdomen out and letting the air rush back into the lungs.
- The whole process, inhalation and exhalation, should take not much more than 1-1/2 seconds. Both should be forceful and will be quite audible.
The Do’s and Don’ts:
- DO push the abdomen out as far as you can as you inhale.
- DO NOT exhale consciously, but let the action of the abdomen do it for you.
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