Do you have no energy or have aches and pains? You may not be getting enough oxygen. Notice your breath. When you breathe in do you only breathe in with your chest? When we were babies our lungs weren’t fully developed so we used our belly to expand the space to get more oxygen. Diaphragmatic breathing gives you full oxygen exchange which means your brain gets more oxygen too! That allows you to focus more and improves organ function.
Trauma and stress can cause us not to breathe properly. The first step to better breathing is to just sit and notice your breathing. How deep do you breath? Is your breath very shallow? The second step is to take time through out your day to do breathing exercises. With each of these exercises you should be sitting up straight in a chair or criss cross on a yoga mat, back straight. Here are five breathing techniques to use:
****If you get dizzy stop doing the exercise*****
- Belly (diaphragmatic) breathing (Deergha Swasam)-
It is best if you start here because it is the basis of all breathing techniques. Here is an article about belly breathing: https://www.health.harvard.edu/lung-health-and-disease/learning-diaphragmatic-breathing
Now put your right hand on your chest and your left hand on your belly. As you SLOWLY breathe in through your nose or mouth expand your belly as much as you can. Let your breath out slowly. Do this 3-5 times. This allows you to get seven times the volume of oxygen compared to a normal breath. Always do any breathing exercise slowly. There are so many benefits to this exercise: focus, oxygen to brain and other organs and it is relaxing.
2. Energizing breath (Kapalabhati-The Skull Shining)- ***If you are a woman suspend this practice while you have your menstrual period or if you are pregnant***
This breath should be done very slowly and you might even want to take normal breaths in between each one. Take a belly breath in through your nose. Quickly let it out all at once in one motion contracting the diaphragm. Snap your diaphragm in quickly. If you are new to breathing exercises only do 1-3 rounds of 15-20 breaths. Breathing normally in between each round.
3. Alternating Nostril breath (Nadi Suddhi-Nerve Purification)– (my favorite)
You can use either hand to do this. I used my right hand. Use your pinkie finger to plug your left nostril. Breathe in through your right nostril then plug the right nostril with your thumb and exhale through your left nostril. Close your right nostril, breathe in through your left. Close the left again and breathe out the right. The pattern should be plug alternate nostril, breathe in, plug, exhale through other nostril, switch. See video. Do this for 3 minutes. Benefits: focus, awakens left and right brain, helps digestion, preparing for meditation and is calming.
4. Equal Breathing-
Count as you take a deep breath in. Then count backward as you exhale. For example, I breathe in and count from 1 to 6 then exhale counting down from 6 to 1. Do this for 3 minutes. Benefits: Relaxation, oxygen to brain and other organs, use during yoga.
5. Humming Bee Breath (Brahmari)-
Belly breathe in through your nose. As you exhale make a humming sound like a bee. Feel and notice the vibration from the roof of your mouth to the crown of your head. Try 5 rounds at different pitches. Benefits: tones vocal cords, concentration.
Challange: Try doing one of these breaths each day for a week and see how you feel.
It is important to consult your medical doctor before starting anything new with your health. Breathing is very important to observe and practice.
Books and Blogs to read:
https://www.thepathprovides.com/blog/5-pranayama-yoga-breathing-exercises-for-beginners
https://www.health.harvard.edu/lung-health-and-disease/learning-diaphragmatic-breathing
You can search on Pinterest for more breathing techniques.
Wheels of Life-The Classic Guide to the Chakra System by Anodea Judith, PH.D.
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