To breathe properly is to live properly!
Table of Contents
Why breathing properly is so important
There is one thing we all have in common, and we all do it at the same time. It stays with us from the moment we arrive into this world, until the moment we depart from it. Breath.
When you get upset, angry, scared, surprised – what changes? Your Breath. It has been always with you. Breathing is a complex process but we do it unconsciously without much effort. This process can be conscious if we choose to bring our presence to it. We have power to change its rate, depth and quality. Better breathing means a better and heathier life.
Breath awareness
We take approximately 23, 000 breaths per day. How many of those breaths are conscious?
Becoming aware of your breathing gives you ability to take control of it when you need to. This is the most powerful way to take control of yourself, especially when you are afraid or stressed.
You can use your breath to gain hold of your anger.
You can use your breath to calm your mind.
You can use your breath to bear pain.
You can use your breath to create awareness.
You can use your breath to direct your energy.
How you breathe will shape how you feel, how you think, how you react! If we can’t make the effort to control how we breathe, how are we going to take control of larger things in our life?
Breath connects you with your mind and body.
10 minutes of conscious breathing per day can make a positive impact on your emotional and physical health!
Pause throughout the day to breathe consciously and you will be reminded of the value of the present moment. This is a precious gift you’re giving to yourself.
Why is it important to regulate our breathing
I am sure you are familiar with the term overeating but did you know that you can over breathe too? When we breathe normally the primary muscle, diaphragm, does its job perfectly. When we breathe more than our normal breathing capacity, the diaphragm needs help. It calls up other breathing muscles because it takes more effort.
By learning to breathe less we can reduce food cravings. Over-breathing makes us feel hungrier. We crave sugars, fats, and processed food. Under-breathing decreases our blood pH which leads to cravings for more vegetables and fruits.
When we are stressed our breath becomes shallow, choppy, restricted and uneven. Notice if you hold your breath when talking, eating, cooking or cleaning. When we breathe properly our breath is even, smooth, steady, and gentle. Working with the breath allows you to change the way the mind and nervous system operate.
How to breathe properly
Yoga offers so many different breathing techniques that can help us increase our energy, health and vitality. Regular stretching can improve posture so we can breathe effectively. Meditation starts by focusing our attention inward, towards our breath. It helps us develop breath awareness. Proper diet will help us breathe easier.
Relax your belly
To breathe properly your belly needs to be fully relaxed. Check right now -Is your belly relaxed? Most of the time we tend to hold our belly in. If you hold your belly in as you inhale, there isn’t space for optimal breathing.
Have you noticed that children and babies always have belly out? When we become adults we don’t want to let our bellies hang out. If we keep our core consistently engaged, we can’t breathe fully and effortlessly.
Chest breathing results in shallow breaths. Shallow breathing can’t effectively oxygenate our body which has a direct impact on our internal system. It also creates tension and stress in the body which negatively impacts the nervous system.
Breathe with a relaxed core and allow your stomach to expand.
So your homework is to walk around with your belly hanging out 😊 Don’t draw your belly in while taking a picture.
Breathe with your nose
Our mouth is designed for talking, eating, and drinking. Nasal breathing is the proper way to breathe. You never breathe with both nostrils at the same time. One is always slightly restricted while the other one is clear. They alternate about every 4 hours so that one nostril doesn’t dry out. Interesting huh?!
Proper Posture
Notice if you are lifting your shoulders and collarbones while breathing. If you do, you’re a chest breather. Your natural breath should be gentle and effortless. You can feel a nice expansion of your belly and ribs.
Poor posture influences significantly our breath quality. By slouching the shoulders forward, the diaphragm can’t function properly. This can lead to chronic back pain, and emotional storage.
Proper posture means your spine maintains natural curves: lower back has a mild inward curve, the upper back has a mild outward curve, and the neck has a natural inward curve. Shoulders should be relaxed, and slightly forward. The pelvis is neutral while standing and tilted slightly forward while sitting.
Including a regular breathing practice as part of your morning and evening routine can be an effective tool for improving your health. Breathing properly is so important because affects our entire body.
It is the key to healthy living!
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