In praise of breathing - how deep breathing benefits mind and body
When was the last time you thought about breathing?
In our rushed, overpacked world many of us are happy to simply let our body do its work and trust that the breathe in, breathe out thing is under control. But when was the last time you really thought about your breathing?
I encourage you to stop reading and take a moment to check in with your body.
Are you breathing from your chest and upper body or from your belly?
Are your shoulders at your ears as you breathe or are they where nature intended?
Is your breathing short and shallow or deep and long?
Becoming aware of how we are breathing is the first step to making your breathing work better for you. Breathing consciously, rather than automatically, brings many benefits to mind and body:
Deep breathing improves our respiratory system
Breathing from the belly opens up the chest, relaxes the diaphragm and primary breathing muscles and enables a more relaxed posture…..it’s very difficult to breathe from the belly and keep your shoulders at your ears at the same time…try it!
Deep breathing calms the nervous system
Shallow breathing means that we are restricting the amount of oxygen being taken in. Our bodies read this lack of oxygen as the result of us being scared - freezing and holding our breath, or running from something, struggling to get oxygen into our lungs. In turn this triggers stress hormones to flood into our systems to help us fight, hide from or flee the perceived foe. The result of continued shallow breathing? A nervous system that is always on high alert. Do your body a favour, stop and breathe.
Deep breathing calms the mind
The very act of becoming consciously aware of your breathing is at the heart of mindfulness and meditation. When you are truly focused on the sensation of breathing in and out, you slow down thoughts that otherwise whirl in our minds unchecked generating overwhelm and anxiousness. When we breathe deeply we increase our intake of oxygen to the brain, helping improve clarity, creativity and centred-ness.
Make time to breathe…
Image by @Charlesz
It’s all too easy to forget to breathe deeply in the daily hustle and bustle. Overcome this by:
setting an alarm on your mobile phone with the label, “BREATHE” .
When the alarm goes off take 2 mins to become conscious of your breathing, breathe deeply and fully.
Your body and mind will thank you.