Because breathing is so basic, telling someone to breathe might seem obvious. But breathing subconsciously to live and breathing mindfully and intentionally are different. Our bodies have a built-in stress reliever called deep breathing. It’s relaxing and has been scientifically proven to positively affect the heart, the brain, digestion, and the immune system.

I discovered deep breathing techniques when offered a free membership to the Calm app through my medical insurer. The application gives me access to daily meditations, sleep stories, master classes, and breathwork exercises. Getting exposure to the breathing techniques and feeling the stress relieved from my body got me wanting to learn more about it.

5 reasons it’s good to Breathe Chile

1. Controlling your breathing calms your brain.

Slow, controlled breathing has been used for centuries to promote mental calming. It is used clinically to suppress excessive arousal, such as panic attacks.

2. Counting breaths taps into the brain’s emotional control regions.

A recent study showed that controlling breathing by counting breaths influences “neuronal oscillations throughout the brain,” particularly in brain regions related to emotion. 

3. Doing Breathwork provides quick relief from stress and anxiety.

Conscious breathing could be one of the fastest ways to combat the stress of everyday life. One of the top benefits of practicing breathwork is decreased stress and anxiety levels. Deep breathing is a mindfulness method that helps those feeling anxious ground themselves in the present moment while informing their nervous system that they’re safe. A study found that participants who completed 20 breathwork training sessions over eight weeks had significantly lower stress hormone cortisol levels than those who did not receive the training. Cortisol is responsible for our body’s stress response, and high levels can cause weight gain, especially in the midsection.

4.  Mindful breathing helps to lower blood pressure and improve circulation 

Breathwork has also been proven to significantly improve your blood pressure. It also can help improve your blood circulation throughout your body and even help in the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure). This suggests that practicing breathing exercises regularly is a great natural method for helping to prevent heart disease. This is used as a preventative measure and should not be used in place of your prescribed medicine. A 2001 study found that practicing breathwork to music for 10 minutes a day is an effective, nonpharmacological way to reduce blood pressure. Building upon those findings, a 2015 study found that patients with hypertension saw a big drop in blood pressure after practicing slow, deep breathing. One portable electronic device designed to help users engage in slow, deep breathing is now an FDA-approved tool for reducing blood pressure. 

5. Help with falling asleep 

Breathwork can also help you settle down for the night or quickly fall asleep on nights when you’re having difficulty doing so. Breathwork is one of the top recommended natural sleep aids and can also be helpful for those struggling with insomnia. 

Breathing Techniques

Try the below breathwork techniques for 2 mins each to help with whatever ails you.

Extended Exhale (4-6) – Quiet your mind and ease your stress. Ideal for when you are feeling anxious, restless, or overwhelmed. Taking a big breath in followed by a longer, slower breath out signals a state of relaxation to the body and reduces stress. The longer exhales compared to the inhales help to slow down the heart rate and relax the nerves. 

                      Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 sec, and 

                     Exhale slowly through your mouth for 6 sec. 

Equal Breathing (4-2-4) – Balance your body and mind, calm your nerves, and come back to the present moment. Practice this for an overall sense of calm. Taking equal breaths, or equal lengths of inhales and exhales moves the diaphragm in a rhythmic manner. 

                      Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 sec, 

                      Pause and hold for 2 sec, and 

                      Exhale slowly for 4 sec.

Deep Belly Breathing (5-5) – Improve your core muscle stability, slow your breathing, and restore energy. Try before or after a workout or to reduce daily stress. Deep belly breathing helps force air buildup out of your lungs, which increases the amount of oxygen in your blood and strengthens your diaphragm. 

                     Inhale deeply through your nose and expand your breath into your chest and belly for 5 sec, and

                     Exhale slowly through your mouth.

                    Feel your belly draw in and your chest fall.

Box Breathing (4-4-4-4) – Improve your performance, sharpen your concentration, and reduce stress. Try before important moments like tests, presentations, games, tough conversations, and first dates. Rhythmic deep breathing helps regulate body temperature and lower blood pressure. 

                  Inhale slowly through the nose for 4 sec, 

                  Slowly exhale and really let go for 4 sec

                  Slowly exhale and really let go for 4 sec

                  Gently pause and rest for 4 sec.

Energizing Breath (4-2) – Wake up your mind and energize your body. Great to wake you up in the morning or during an afternoon slump. This breathwork technique helps release adrenaline and increase oxygen flow to help you feel more awake, energized, and alert.

                 Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 sec,

                  Exhale rapidly through your nose for 2 sec.

Relaxing Breath (4-7-8) – Unwind with this “natural tranquilizer for the nervous system” developed by Dr. Andrew Weil. Try this when you feel overwhelmed, or before bed to help you fall asleep. Slow breathing with longer holds helps to relax your muscles, lower your heart rate, and calm your mind.

                  Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 sec,

                  Gently hold for 7 sec,

                 Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 sec

How to incorporate a breathwork practice into your daily routine

Here are some tips to help you easily begin a breathwork practice and start feeling the benefits:

• Schedule a time(s): Plan one or more specific times a day when you want to do your breathing exercises. This will help you establish a commitment.
• Start small: Begin your practice with the easiest techniques and breathe for only 2 to 5 minutes per session. You can increase the length of your sessions as you progress.
• Set a reminder: Set a reminder in your calendar for each of your sessions to help you remember.
• Take a break: If you’re struggling to get through the exercises or are losing motivation, get up and take a break to do something else. Then come back and finish when you’re ready.
• Change it up: Try a variety of exercises to keep things exciting and find what works best for you.
• Do what you can: Life can get hectic. It’s okay to stop and do a quick, easy exercise whenever you remember. This will still count as practicing and help you achieve the many breathwork benefits.

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References:

How Slow Breathing Induces Tranquility – Neuroscience News. https://neurosciencenews.com/tranquility-slow-breathing-6317/

15 Breathwork Benefits: The Science Behind Breathing Practices. https://www.othership.us/resources/breathwork-benefits

The Science Behind Breathwork + 5 Benefits Of The Practice …. https://www.thebreathingclass.com/media-index/2020/2/19/the-science-behind-breathwork-5-benefits-of-the-practice

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Everything I discuss here is something I have used to help me. Breathe Chile is a movement to help the world through mindfulness, physical fitness, and positive motivation. I hope you will join me on the journey!