My Top 10 Breathing Exercises.
It’s not always physically possible to get out of bed at 5.30am for a 45 minute Transformational Breath practice before my day starts at 6.30am. But when I do, I always have a better day. During a normal busy day, when a full practice hasn’t been possible, I always practice a number of conscious breath exercises to help balance my energies and to help me keep connected to the present moment.
Here are my go-to top 10 breath exercises to guarantee a better day.
1. SLOW DOWN BREATHE 5-5-5
Benefits:
- Calm the nervous system
- Managing anxiety
- Focuses the mind
I’ve got to dash…I’m running late… I’m going to miss the bus….damn, I’ve missed the bus….familiar thoughts? Sometimes we think we’ve never got enough time and that the clock is always against us. When these anxious thoughts arise, try this breath exercise. Slow. It. down. Take. Your. Time.
Exercise:
Breathing in through the nose for 5 seconds. Hold for 5 seconds at the top of the in breath. Then breathe out for 5 seconds. Repeat for a few rounds. This should slow your breath rate down to around 4-5 breaths a minute which will help calm your mind and focus your thoughts.
2. BEE BREATHE
Breath Benefits:
- Stimulates vagus nerve
- Calms mind
- Good for digestive system
- Clears throat
Exercise:
Bee Breathe can be used as an on-the-spot chiller, although you may like to find a private space to practice as it’s an eyes and ears closed affair. This is a subtle yet powerful breath technique, known as ‘brahmari’, a Sanskrit word that means “bee”.
The sound element is soothing for a busy bee mind, and the practice extends the exhale with little effort.
To practice the breath exercise, simply start by taking a few natural breaths, and then close your eyes and place your little fingers lightly in the inner corners of the (closed) eyelids and either index fingers or thumbs over the ears to block out the senses of sound and sight. Keeping the lips lightly sealed and jaw relaxed, inhale through the nostrils (belly should rise – think big round bumble bee). Exhale through the nose with a humming sound coming from the back of the throat. This can be like the sound of the letter ‘M’mmmm. Keep the sound riding on the exhale until you need to inhale again through the nose. Continue this for a minute or two and notice how the body and mind drop into a calmer space.
3. ACU BREATHE 5-2-7
Breath Benefits:
- Activating the rest and digest system
- focusing the mind on the present moment
- opening up the diaphragm
- easing stress
Exercise:
This is a super quick calmer for those all too stressful times or if you get twitchy while queuing or waiting or a couple of minutes before public speaking.
Hold your left hand with your right hand with the right thumb applying pressure to the centre of the palm of the left hand. This acupressure point is for the diaphragm and can help us release tension from the respiratory muscles. Close the eyes and breathe gently with all the focus on the breath and be aware of the light pressure you are placing on the palm of your hand. Breathe in for a count of 5. Through the nose, mouth closed. Hold for a count of 2. Exhale for 7. Repeat on the other hand. This will stimulate the diaphragm and activate the parasympathetic nervous system and induce feelings of calm.
4. FROM AHHHH TO ZZZZZZZ
Breath Benefits
- Sleep
- Calms anxious mind
That moment when the body finally comes to rest and the head decides it wants to throw a party. Thoughts dancing from here to there, jumping around between the ears, anxieties rise up just as you want to fall asleep, preventing you from heading to the land of zzzz’s. Here’s a breath exercise which can help you nod off when the head noise is all too much.
Exercise:
Lay on your belly, head to one side (make sure you only have one pillow otherwise the neck will feel cricked) relax the arms down by the side, allow there to be space between the top and bottom teeth, relax the jaw and face . Breathe in fully, saying in your mind “breathing deeply” Breathe out, saying in your mind “and sleep deeply tonight”. Slow down the way you ‘mind say’ both phrases. The mind may wander elsewhere but keep bringing it back to repeating these phrases marrying the breath with each phrase. The breathing out phrase is longer than the breathing in phrase and therefore will help elongate the exhale which is perfect for helping the body to relax. Also words seem to calm the system more than counting numbers. Choose two phrases that work for you just make sure the phrase on the exhale is longer than the inhale.
5. LAPTOP BREATHE
Breath Benefits:
- Focus
- Releases tension in the shoulders
- Reduces stress
- Realigns posture
Where does the breath go when we are concentrating so much? It’s important to remind ourselves to take a full breath during the mundane task of tapping away at a laptop. Are your ribs collapsed? diaphragm squashed? This is an all too common ‘Laptop Posture’. It’s paramount for body, breath and mind to move every 15 mins while desk bound.
N.B Notice how with the arms raised the breath travels into the upper chest a little more with each inhale. Make sure legs are uncrossed and feet firmly planted on the ground before you start. Belly should always rise on the inhale but in this arms raised posture may not be fully rounded as the abs will be stretched a little. Focus on the belly breath but also bring your awareness to the upper chest. Release any tension on the exhalation.
Lift the arms over head and interlace the fingers and stretch the arms upwards with your palms facing towards the ceiling. Gently squeeze the shoulder blades towards each other.
Inhale slowly and fully through the nose making sure the belly rises, ribs expands, chest lifts, with the chin ever so slightly lifted. Hold the breath for a count of 3.
Exhale fully through the mouth with a gentle blowing sound. You maybe surprised how long you can expel the breath for.
Repeat for 5 rounds. Get up, have a little walk around and enjoy a full body stretch before you return to the laptop.
6. DESK BREATHE
Breath Benefits:
- More energy
- Uplifting
- Focuses the mind
No time for lunch? Need a shot of energy without the caffeine jitters? This is a great micro breathing exercise for bringing the energy into the upper chest and can be practiced sitting or standing.
Exercise:
Sitting up tall or practice standing if you have a minute to spare, have the feet firmly planted on the floor.
Take your hands behind your back and either clasp opposite elbows or if you have the flexibility, interlace your fingers behind your back, squeezing the palms of the hands and shoulder blades gently towards each other. This should help lift the chest. Raise the chin ever so slightly. If neither of these are doable, place both hands behind the head, interlace the fingers and rest the head in the hands.
Breathe in through the nose for a count of 5. Hold for 2
Breathe out through the mouth for a count of 5. Hold for 2
Repeat for up to 3 minutes. Complete with a few rounds of shoulder shrugs.
Inhaling lift the shoulders to the ears, exhaling dropping the shoulders down.
7. IN THE NOW BREATHE
Benefits:
- Calms and refocuses the mind
- Releases tension in the neck and shoulders
Do you remember the days before the smart-phone? Hoorah, we are of a similar age! What did we used to do with the gaps of time in the day, when faced with the opportunity of doing absolutely nothing? Moribund moments waiting for the country route bus, those hour long minutes spent queuing in post offices, waiting and waiting, in waiting rooms. Where are the day dreamers, the whistlers, the pacers, singers and fidgeters? Those moments that used to offer the body and mind a chance to roam, now distracted by our not-so-smart phones, which snatch our time away and literally take our breath away. I’ve coined the phrase; Tech Apnea – the phenomenon of holding our breath when engaged with technology.
Resist the urge to grab your phone the second you feel boredom creep in. Here’s a great exercise to pull you back into the present moment and stretch the muscles in the throat and neck, a perfect antidote to tension created by looking down at our phones. This can be done anywhere especially in the those moments we are tempted to check our phones instead of our breathing.
Exercise:
Breathe in, very slowly raise the chin to the ceiling/sky look at all above you. Exhale slowly while bowing the head, chin to chest, to the earth becoming aware of your feet and all there is beneath you. Take the left ear to left shoulder and noticing any tension in the right side of the neck muscles; take 2 long breaths here. Repeat on the other side. The body naturally relaxes on the exhale so slow the out breath down and feel a sense of letting go in the neck muscles. Repeat for as long as you need. Not only does this exercise engage the mind of all that is here now but also gives the front and back of the neck a wonderful stretch. Make sure there is a slight gap between upper and lower teeth so the jaw is soft. Can be done anytime. Any place.
8. ON A WALK
Benefits:
- Present moment
- Body awareness
Make the most of a city or town stroll by adding a little mindfulness to your step. The beauty of breathing exercises, is that you can literally take them anywhere. This one is good to focus the mind before a meeting or interview.
When walking, breathe in for 5 steps. Breathe out for 5 steps. Repeat until you are feeling calmer and looking cooler. Simple!
9. PRE PARTY BREATHE
Benefits:
- Calming the nervous system
- Positive thinking
- Body awareness
Going out can often be one big rush, especially on the getting ready front. It’s good to slow down and free up any stress of the day before we get into the party spirit. Try this one before getting ready for a calmer start to your eve and a relaxed entrance to any gathering.
Exercise: You can do this one in front of a full length mirror to ensure your posture is correct.
1.Stand and plant your feet onto the ground, a little wider than hip-width apart, with your feet pointing forwards. Allow there to be a softness in the knees. Relax your belly and bring your arms by your sides.
2. On your next inhalation, breathe length into your spine and allow the arms to be soft with your palms now turned upwards. Take an in breath and out breath.
3.On the next inhalation, slowly raise your arms overhead and imagine gathering any negative thoughts, feelings, emotions and beliefs that are holding you back.
4. On the next exhalation, turn your palms down, lowering your arms in front of you, finger tips almost touching, and softly bending your knees. Consciously release these gathered feelings down and into the earth.
5. Repeat this two more rounds
6. On your next inhalation, raise your arms and gather positive feelings, emotions and beliefs you need for the evening. Maybe you need more energy, confidence, fun.
7. On your next exhalation, lower your arms, finger tips almost touching and visualise those qualities flow in to you. Repeat this three more times.
9. To close, breathe and stand quietly for a few breaths. Allow a small smile to the lips and step out the door with everything you need for a calmer evening.
10. EMOTIONAL CALM BREATHE 5-4-7
Breath Benefits:
- Stimulates vagus nerve which is the largest nerve in the body
- Present moment awareness
Sometimes emotions roll through us at inconvenient times. Our lives often too busy to deal with the way we feel, let alone process them. When strong emotions are felt at work, in front of children or in public where we don’t feel comfortable enough to express these, this exercise is great way to find balance when faced with minor emotional chaos.
Wherever you are or however you are feeling, try and soften the face, allow there to be space in between top and bottom jaw, allowing the face muscles to relax. Breathe in through the nose fully. Breathing in. Belly rises softly. Breathe in for a count of 5. Hold the breath here for a count of 4.
During this breath hold, draw your awareness to any emotions in the body. Simply observe and place no judgement on whatever it is you feel. Then exhale slowly for a count of 7, through the lips making a quiet sound, a little like a gentle breeze. Breathe in again fully for a count of 5, making it easy. Hold for 4. Seek out a feeling. Exhale fully for a count of 7, though the mouth allowing a soft wind sound to flow through the wind pipe.
Repeat 5 – 10 times and then allow the breath to return to it’s normal pattern. Adding the sound layer to the breath, albeit subtle, helps calm the nervous system and stimulates the vagus nerve.
All Exercises above have been written by Aimee Hartley of The Breathing Room. Copyright. 2017
N.b TECH APNEA
Tech Apnea Definition: ‘Holding one’s breath while texting, scrolling, emailing’.
When we hold our breath, the body can’t function as it needs to and if the body retains the carbon dioxide that it is attempting to expel, we can experience painful contractions in the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, which are warning signs to the brain that we must exhale. Tension can build up in the muscles used within the respiratory system, i.e. the shoulders, intercostal muscles and diaphragm. The breath hold indicates to the brain that the body could be in danger and prepares the body for a ‘fight or flight’ response.
Next time you are texting, scrolling, emailing, Instagramming, tweeting, check in with your breath.
Signs to look out for:
- Are you clenching your teeth? A tight jaw can be the first sign that the breath is being held.
- How is your posture? Are the shoulders hunched? A scrunched posture – chin to chest, collapsed diaphragm can impede the respiratory process.
- Is your breath shallow or deep?
- Are you breathing?!