Taking a few moments to try some breathing exercises will benefit your breathing patterns throughout the day. Rather than taking short breaths into the upper chest, you can learn to develop better breathing habits that have healing benefits, improve general health and reduce stress.
The breath offers the potential for a wide variety of physical and emotional benefits. Learning to breathe properly helps decrease asthma symptoms, offers healing benefits for respiratory illnesses, improves oxygenation of every cell in the body and relieves stress.
There are actually three types of breathing, abdominal breathing, or deep breathing, shallow breathing into the upper chest and a middle ground that is between these two extremes. In daily life, when we are hurried or just not paying attention to the breath, we often breathe with shallow breaths. This decreases oxygenation and increases tension. A better alternative is learning to focus on our breath and breathe deeply and mindfully.
When practicing any type of breathing, lying on your mat flat on your back allows the air to move freely, rather than sitting up in a chair. You can use a small pillow or folded blanket under the head for comfort and support. If you have any type of pain or condition that requires additional support, feel free to place pillows and cushions under any area of the body where more cushion is desired.
Pick a quiet room with no distractions to allow you to fully relax and focus on your breath. Place your hands on your chest and abdomen. Try breathing into your chest for a few breaths. Next, try to breathe a little deeper, so you can feel your lower ribs move with the breath. Finally, try breathing deeply, so your stomach rises and falls with each breath.
Note the difference in the feeling of the movement of your hands with the different types of breath. Breathe slowly into your mouth and feel your body expand and fill with air from the abdomen up through the chest. When you take the breath, hold at the top of the breath and then slowly exhale.
This type of deep breathing can be used at any time you feel need to calm your nerves or awaken your body. If you have to do something that makes you nervous, such as speaking at a conference for work or having a difficult conversation with a friend or family member, a few minutes of breathing can calm the body and mind and bring your thoughts into sharper focus.