Air for life

Air is life.

One of the most important factors that influences the quality of our lives is the breathing process. Breathing should be a simple natural act, but surprisingly its not and only a few people breathe correctly.

Thousands of people die every year due to oxygen starvation.

I am not a correct breather but lately I’ve started to pay close attention to the subject and I’m trying to fix my bad breathing habits. After a week of practicing correct breathing exercises I can already feel a significant improvement in my life. But it will take a lot more time and effort to turn correct breathing into an unconscious habit.

The bad habit

Shallow breathing causes one to tire out faster, adds stress, reduces the relaxation level, reduces the body oxygenation level and results in poor functioning of all body systems (digestive, respiratory, glandular, circulatory and nervous).

The good habit

These are the “rules” for a correct breathing process:

• Breathe using the entire lungs, not just the upper part;
• Breathe in through the nose as much as possible. This way the air is filtered and warmed before it reaches the lungs.
• Do not hold the breath between inhalations. This is a very common error.
• Fill the bottom of the lungs first, then the upper part;
• Use the diaphragm to expand outward (belly breaths);
• Take fewer breaths and get a lot of air with each, rather than many shallow breaths;
• Exhale through the mouth as much as possible;
• Exhalation should take double the time of the inhalation;
• Do not lapse into shallow breathing, stay focused.

The effectiveness of these guidelines depends upon your mental attitude during the time of practice. Each motion of the breathing process should be accompanied by the conscious effort to make it.

Correct breathing exercises can enhance the quality of your life, improve your physical and mental states and increase your ability to concentrate. Correct breathing is also a very powerful stress reliever.

Breathing exercises

Techniques that will help you breathe correctly:

• Lie on your back and put a book on your stomach. Relax and inhale deeply into your abdomen so that the book rises. Exhale – the book should fall. Do this for 3-4 minutes every morning and before going to sleep.
• Sit. Place the right hand on your abdomen and the left hand on your chest. Breathe deeply so that your right hand will rise and fall while your stomach should stay relatively still. Do this for 2 minutes. As you breathe in, count to 4, hold for 2, and release your breath in 4 counts.
• Alternate nose breathing. It’s purpose is to relieve stress and what you basically need to do is to breathe in one nostril and out the other. Then breathe in the second nostril and out the first. Breathe in the left nostril to the count of 6, while using your finger to hold the right nostril closed. Hold your breath for 3 counts. Release the right nostril and while your left nostril is closed, breathe out in the count of 6. Breathe back in the right nostril for 6 count. Hold for 3 counts. Release the left and breathe out to the count of 6 while the right nostril is closed. Repeat this a couple of times.
• Lie flat on floor or mattress, the head unsupported. Relax the muscles all over the body, then inhale deeply with the diaphragm only, raising the wall of the abdomen just below the ribs without elevating either the chest or the lower abdomen. Take about four seconds to inhale, then exhale in twice that length of time, contracting the abdomen below the ribs.
• Lie on your back on a bed or couch, knees raised. Relax thoroughly, exhale and hold the breath after exhalation. While doing so, push the abdomen out and draw it in as far as possible each way. Repeat these movements as long as you can hold the breath without straining, then breathe deeply and regularly for several minutes, then repeat the massage movements.
• With hands at sides or on hips, inhale and exhale slowly and deeply, bringing the entire respiratory apparatus into active play.

There are many more breathing exercises out there, but I’ve selected the most simple and effective ones, the ones that I’ve tested myself.

Remember that learning to breathe correctly takes a lot of practice, but before long it will be your second nature to feel your belly rising with the inhalation.

After correcting your breathing habits you will feel less stressed and your body, mind and spirit will thank you for your efforts by being more calm and relaxed.

Now take a deep breath and start reshaping this habit!

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