Breathing; it’s something we do between 20,000 – 30,000 times a day. Without the breath we would die, it comes before food, water and sleep in our hierarchy of needs yet most of us barely give breathing a second thought. It’s just another bodily function running in the background that you don’t really control right? Well yes and no. While breathing happens subconsciously for the most part, you can, at any time, harness the power of your breath by performing breathing “exercises” or “breath-work”.
Breath-work is the intentional awareness and control of your breathing pattern using specific techniques for a prescribed amount of time to enhance your health and well being.
But before I move on to some of the most common breathing exercises out there let me first share with you what you have been missing out on if you aren’t practicing breath-work.
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Support of your immune system
- Improved ability to support intense exercise
- Improved mental clarity
- Aid in overcoming addictions
- Decreased negative self-talk
- Increased self-confidence and self-esteem
- More creativity
- Aid in overcoming grief
- Aid in the relief of PTSD
And imagine, this isn’t even an exhaustive list of all the benefits you can reap from regular breath-work practice. I initially started breathing exercises as a way to de-stress and ended up getting a whole lot more out of it. I do breath-work in the morning and can testify to the fact that it energizes me for the day ahead. An energy that is focused and calm rather than frenetic and chaotic. I feel more clear headed and content. I’m more prone to perform other good habits throughout my day when I start my day with breath-work and meditation. It greatly reduces negative self-talk which allows me to perform better in life overall.
You may be wondering HOW does our breath have so much power to produce positive results in our lives? And I get it, it seems crazy that something so simple (and free) can be such a powerful tool in healing and improving your life’s potential but it really is. Here is a little about the how and why breathing exercises work:
- Deep breathing stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system which is what helps you to feel calm by slowing your heart rate and controlling your breathing (when we’re stressed out breathing usually becomes shallow and fast, and your heart rate accelerates which is what makes you feel anxious or jittery or stressed)
- Deep breathing releases endorphins the “feel good” hormone
- Fully oxygenated blood better carries and absorbs nutrients for the body (the more effective and efficient this process is the better your body performs and feels)
- Oxygen stimulates your life force energy (qi) which makes you feel more energized
- Deep breathing forces you to take your focus out of your mind (ego) and forces you to focus inward
- The more practice you get being out of your thoughts and ego the more you will feel connected to yourself and others, confident and happy. It will also deepen your spiritual connection
So now that you have a little info on how and why breathing exercises work Ill talk about the different types of breathing exercises you can do. If you do a Google search you will find there are many breathing exercises out there but I will discuss the method I am currently using, the method I used to use, and Ill throw in one more method for good measure, but if the topic of using breath-work to improve your life interests you then I encourage you to do some research to find a method that works for you.
4-7-8 Breathing: I used to use the 4-7-8 breathing method. This one was great for de-stressing and helping me get to sleep. Its very simple, you get into a comfortable seated or lying position. Rest your tongue on the roof of your mouth and take a deep breath in for a count of 4 seconds through your nose. The air should enter your belly first and your chest second, hold your breath for 7 seconds and exhale fully through your mouth, through pursed lips for 8 seconds. Focus on your breathing the entire time. Do this for a total of 4 rounds if you are beginner and add rounds as you get used to the practice.
Box Breathing: I have not tried this method but I’ve read it is a common breathing exercise and can be used anytime you need a moment of calm. Inhale for a count of 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds and hold for 4 seconds and repeat for as long as you wish. Even a minute or two of this exercise is enough to elicit a sense of peace.
Wim Hof Method: This is the method I am currently using. The method was developed by a Danish extreme sport athlete named Wim Hof. His method is more of a system where you combine his breathing method with cold exposure to unlock your potential in health, sports and any other self-development endeavor you may have. The Wim Hof method works by getting into a comfortable seated or lying position and taking circular deep breaths in through the nose to fill your belly and then your chest, and to exhale right away (no holding your breath yet) through your mouth. You should complete 30-40 circular rhythmic breaths in this manner and on the exhale of the last breath of your 30-40 breath cycle you then hold your breath for your max time. Once you can no longer hold you inhale and hold for another 15 seconds. That equals 1 round. You can complete this for as many rounds as you like, but most people do between 1-3 rounds as beginners. I couple the breathing method with cold exposure by standing under cold water for 5-10 seconds at the end of my regular shower. All of this is to increase will power, to improve concentration, to boost immune system…..okay I wont rattle off yet another long list, you can see the benefits and learn more about the Wim Hof method here. I also love that there is a free app to track your progress and challenge yourself.
After the very first time that I tried the Wim Hof method I felt the difference. I felt alive and rejuvenated, my mood was better immediately after, I feel energized AND relaxed at the same time. My workouts feel better and more intense, I have less mind chatter, I just FEEL SO GOOD! And I’ve only adopted this method for the last two weeks. But I will continue with it. Like everything its a practice where the benefits improve and increase with regular adherence.
In general breathing is about as natural and safe as you can get, but if you’re someone who is prone to hyperventilating then you should consult your doctor before adopting a breath-work practice. If you give it a try and experience a little dizziness, lightheadedness, tingling in your extremities or even a change in body temperature that is all NORMAL, its one the effects of flooding your body with oxygen and those effects lessens with regular practice. It’s also why you are advised to practice in a seated or lying position. Do not try this while operating a motor vehicle or while underwater for example.
So that’s it! A simple yet effective way to develop your mental, emotional and physical health and well-being in a BIG way for a SMALL investment! If you have any questions about breath-work or starting a breathing exercise practice than feel free to reach out to me!
