Our Need to Breathe
Have you ever watched a sleeping baby breathe? Unlike almost all adults who breathe with their chest muscles, babies breathe the way god intended, with their diaphragm. Start breathing like a baby again.
Surprisingly, a great number of people have poor breathing habits. Breathing should be natural, deep, and relaxing but instead stress overcomes us and without being aware, our way of breathing becomes shallow. Over time, shallow breathing becomes habit and in turn, years of shallow breathing causes our bodies to collect high levels of carbon dioxide and toxins.
Try this: Sit quietly with a clock close to you. Concentrate only on the ticking of the clock while you count out ten ticks. You will find that while you were counting you were also holding your breath. We hold our breath when we concentrate, when we think, and when we are stressed. What was once normal breathing for us has now become something most people need to concentrate on in order to achieve.
Deep breathing gives you energy by getting rid of fatigue, helps you think more clearly by clearing mental fog, reduces anxiety, depression, and insomnia. It purifies the blood, gets rid of toxins collected from holding our breath or shallow breathing, and rejuvenates our body. It’s something we all do so, why not do it right and reap the rewards.
Deep breathing exercise
Sit in a comfortable position with both feet flat on the floor and your back straight. Let your shoulders fall down and back and relax your arms. You may want to place one hand on your stomach. This way you can feel the rise and fall of your diaphragm as you breathe.
Expand your stomach muscles while inhaling slowly through your nose to the count of five. Exhale slowly to the count of five while your stomach flattens. Do a series of ten at least twice a day.
Breathe To Release Toxins
Inhale deeply. Exhale pushing as much breath from your lungs as possible. Instead of pulling in another deep breath, purse your lips and sharply pull your stomach muscles in as if you were punched in the stomach causing the remaining breath to expel sharply from your lips. Continue to the count of 60.
Breathing is our life force and one of the most powerful things we can do to change the way we feel. It can be done almost anywhere … driving to work, reading, watching TV, doing housework. You will have better concentration, be alert, relaxed, have more energy, and it’s free.
Liked it
Lucy Lockett | Apr 30, 2007 | Reply
I totally agree with you on that one! I forget to do it when I most need it too but I practice at least three times a week which is better than none!Good writing!
Lucy Lockett | May 6, 2007 | Reply
I find it allows me to be more focussed at the right times too.It relaxes my body which gets really tense from every day worries.
Michelle~Parker | May 8, 2007 | Reply
Good and knowledgeable writing . I enjoyed the article. I am always learning something new with writers on Triond.
C A Johnson | May 10, 2007 | Reply
This was very well written. I didn’t even realize that I was breathing wrong until I read your article. Very good job!
Meri Jeffrey | May 17, 2007 | Reply
I learned a lot from this article. My late husband lectured to me often about breathing, stress and the digestive system/tract (yes!) which is even more clearly understood after reading your content. Thank you, Darlene!
Anonymous | May 21, 2007 | Reply
cool
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lizzie2uk | May 23, 2007 | Reply
Interesting and informative.
Wacky | May 26, 2007 | Reply
Really awesome! It helps to be babysitting my aunt’s baby!
keyboardologist | Jun 3, 2007 | Reply
Two years of human phys. and I did not know this.
Dee Huff | Jan 31, 2008 | Reply
Darlene, you’re right about the breathing. There is another technique that works for people who may have difficulty getting their diaphragm to do all the work, and that is to just concentrate on breathing in as silently as you can. Your aim is to take a breath through your nose that is so quiet someone with their ear right next to you couldn’t hear it. You’ll find you automatically use your diaphragm. When you breathe out, open your mouth and expell the air quite loudly, emptying your lungs as much as possible.
Darlene McFarlane | Jan 31, 2008 | Reply
Thanks for the great tip Dee. I tried it and it works great. I am one who has a problem with my diaphragm so this is great for me.
Thanks so much!
Judy Sheldon | Feb 3, 2008 | Reply
Fascinating article, Darlene. I have tried different techniques and find myself yawning instead. I’ll try yours.