I know, I know – you’ve been breathing since the day you were born, right?
That’s true, but have you been doing it properly?
I’m talking deep, cleansing breaths. The kind that fill your lungs from the belly to your brain.
Breaths that
- feed your cells
- clean your blood
- clear your mind
Deep, relaxing breaths that eliminate stress and worry.
- Detoxify you.
- Energize you.
- Enlighten you.
Here’s three breathing exercises that you can try right now.
Incorporate them into your daily routine and reap the benefits immediately.
Bellows Breathing for Increased Energy and Fat Burning
- Sit comfortably with your back straight.
- Press your tongue against the top of your mouth behind your upper teeth.
- Breathing through the nose, inhale and exhale sharply, approximately 3 cycles per second (one cycle equals one inhale and one exhale).
- Let the inhale expand your belly.
- Pull in your belly on the exhale.
- Start with doing this for 15 seconds and gradually work up to one minute or more.
- Repeat as many times as you like through the day for a little pick-me-up.
Don’t worry if you feel a little light headed, this will soon pass.
Bellows breathing energizes you, increases your metabolism (i.e. burns fat), and gives your abs a nice workout.
All in one neat little package.
5-6-7 Breathing for calm alertness
- Sit comfortably with your back straight.
- Press your tongue against the top of your mouth behind your upper teeth.
- Inhale deeply (but not rushed) through your nose for a count of 5.
- Inhale into your belly first (feel it rise), then fill up your chest to the shoulders (but don’t raise or tense your shoulders).
- Hold your breath for a count of 6.
- Exhale softly through your nose for a count of 7.
- Pause for a second or two before the next inhale.
- Do this for 4 or 8 cycles and notice how calm you feel.
- Repeat as many times as you like through the day, particularly when you’re feeling stressed about something.
Feel free to change the counts to whatever works naturally for you.
But try to keep the ratio of inhale to hold to exhale roughly the same as 5-6-7.
You’ll find yourself calm, alert, and ready for anything.
Focused breathing for focused awareness
- Sit comfortably with your back straight.
- Press your tongue against the top of your mouth behind your upper teeth.
- Observe your breath as you inhale through your nose.
- Feel the coolness of the air as it enters your nostrils and expands your belly.
- Don’t try to control it or alter it.
- Just observe it.
- Observe your breath as you exhale through your nose.
- Feel the warm moistness of the air as it passes out through your nostrils.
- Do this for as little or as long as you like or have time for.
Even 10 seconds will have the benefit of getting you out of your head and into your body.
So there you have it. three breathing exercises that you will benefit from immediately and will continue to benefit from for as long as you, well, breathe…
- Bellows Breathing
- 5-6-7 Breathing
- Focused Breathing
I hope you enjoy trying them and feel free to leave any questions or comments below.
If there’s anything specific you’d like me to write about, let me know in the comment area below.
Check back here often for more health and fitness information.
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