Do you ever get out of bed, to find yourself already out of breath? And you’re just starting off the day! There’s a simple explanation to this; you either forgot to breathe, or you don’t practice deep breathing properly.
We often underestimate the power of a single deep breath, how it can calm our nervous system, keep us focused and increase the lung’s capacity.
As researchers with passion to explore all aspects contributing to having a better morning, we can tell you that starting your day with a few deep breaths, will set your energy tone for the rest of the day.
Let’s explore the importance of incorporating breathing exercises in your day and find out some of the best techniques to make you a pro in minutes!
Why start exercising your breath?
Now, when it comes to the advantages of deep breathing, we believe that each benefit is of equal importance.
Such advantages include;
- Reduce stress and anxiety: As mentioned earlier, deep breathing allows your body and mind to relax, putting you in a state of balance.
- Become more focused: Practicing deep breathing daily will allow your mind to concentrate more efficiently.
- Have glowing skin: When you enhance your oxygen intake, you also improve blood flow which reflects in your skin and gives it that natural glow.
- Detox your body: deep breathing will help you get rid of all the toxins like carbon dioxide and others.
Best Focused Breathing Techniques
There are a number of ways to approach deep breathing, so we’ve gathered the best ones in one place for you to choose from;
1- Resonant breathing:
- Inhale and exhale for a count of 5
- Continue until you feel your breath is fully relaxed
2- Pranayama: to blend yoga with breathing
- Choose a yoga pose that is comfortable to you
- Inhale ,count to 4 and then exhale
3- Mindful breathing: to stay in the present moment
- Chose a word to repeat silently during the exercise; like “peace”
- Repeat your chosen word while inhaling or exhaling
- If you notice yourself drifting to a floating thought, take a deep breath and return to the present
4. 4-7-8 counts:
- Exhale deeply, releasing all the air out of your lungs
- Inhale for a count of 4 seconds using your nose
- Hold your breath for 7 seconds
- Exhale for 8 seconds through your mouth
As we wrap it up, let’s embark on a calm journey of focused breathing in our mornings. To get the best results, keep track of how you breathe when you’re comfortable compared to when you are tense or anxious. Regular practice of breath exercises can help you learn to consciously shift to this form of breathing when you are disoriented, which can soothe your body and boost a relaxation response. That brings us to the question;
Which technique will you breathe this morning?
