Take a deep breath

Breath. Such a simple thing. Unless there is something wrong we hardly even think about it but it is essential to our lives. It ebbs and flows throughout our days yet, how long often do you think about it? Today's discussion is all about how breathing easy can improve our health and i'm even going to give you some homework, or at least some techniques you can put into practice today.

Reduce anxiety
Practicing your deep breathing techniques can make all the difference when anxiety strikes. That full blown panic attack can become more of a minor incident in your day. Deep breathing increases the oxygenation of your blood which lowers your heart rate, improves circulation and promotes clearer thinking.

You can use your breath to calm down
When tempers are high it can be nigh impossible to focus on anything except the current situation and what is lighting your fire. But those physical symptoms of anger can be reduced. Practicing simple breathing techniques can help soothe your temper and the physical symptoms that go along with it.

Breathing technique to reduce anxiety and increase your calm 

• Isolate yourself from everyone for 15 minutes
• Inhale slowly for the count of 4 initiating the breath from your abdomen
• Hold your breath taking notice of the space in between the inhalation and exhalation
• Exhale slowly for the count of 8
• Repeat until you begin to calm down

Take breathing even deeper with pranayama
Pranayama is the practice of using the breath to soothe an active mind. If practiced right, pranayama can bring harmony between mind, body and spirit. It boosts your ability to be mentally and spiritually strong. There are very specific breathwork techniques that are outside the scope of this article, but we recommend reading up and finding a good teacher.

Use with meditation
Breathwork can be a fantastic addition to your mindfulness or meditation practice. It can allow us to open our hearts and our minds. It has been said that it can move stuck energy as well.

Breathing technique for Pranayama and Meditation

• Quiet your body and mind
• Observe your breath as it is
• Slow your breathing to a calm steady level
• Concentrate on the air that moves in and out of your lungs
• Focus on how your body feels and moves as you inhale and exhale

Much like massage, there is no doubt that breathing can encourage relaxation and healthy habits. It keeps the body/mind functioning and curbs stress. Your muscles naturally relax and you can go about your day a little easier.

Breathing may seem insignificant. It happens naturally, so we may not think about breathing all that much, but maybe it’s time we should.