(from Face Book)
Hey there, I was gone, but now I'm back! I'm going to continue with information about breathing. Here is a list of the benefits of getting your breathing deep (especially combined with mindfulness): Lower blood pressure, improved asthma symptoms, reduced feelings of panic and anxiety, less pain, less chest pain due to angina and better blood sugar control. It also improves heart health by boosting heart rate variability, a sign of a relaxed responsive cardiovascular system. By deep, here I don't mean your taking giant breaths all day long, but rather using your deep muscles that are supposed to do the breathing, rather than taking small sips of air at the top of your lungs. This needs more explanation, so I'll post more at my blog, along with another breathing exercise. See you there...
Peace
I should mention that some of the material I'm reporting today is from an article by the Doctor's Oz and Roizen, and reports news from the Cleveland Clinic. In fact it is so well written that here is an excerpt: "When 300 people test-drove a new Internet-based stress-management program that included meditation with deep breathing, their stress levels fell 25%....When stress fades, you're better able to avoid or control conditions made worse by tension such as asthma, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, digestive woes and accelerated aging...Chances are you use just one third of your lung capacity. That's because you have slouchy posture and spend oddles of time hunched behind the wheel of your car or in front of a digital device....Shallow breathing doesn't use the bottom portion of your lungs, home to hundreds of tiny blood vessels that help translate oxygen from the air you inhale into your bloodstream and then help to remove carbon dioxide with each exhalation. Taking shallow breaths also means you're missing out on the nervous-system calming effects of activating the sheet of muscle between your lungs and lower abdomen (diaphragm). As it moves up and down, helping fill your blood stream with energizing oxygen, it also switches on your body's relaxation response."
When you breath shallowly, not only are you not getting as much oxygen in as you could, but the bottom of your lungs accumulate CO2, and you create a stagnant pool of air in your chest. And nothing good comes of that! The issue of good posture is one that I reiterate to my clients frequently, part of the "coaching" duties I take on, because we all need to hear information frequently before it becomes second nature to check ourselves and correct ourselves. Knowing why we're doing it helps a lot too.
There's an app for that: (also from the article) Breath Pacer and Breathe2Relax, are two. I have no personal experience with them, so if you try them out give us all a report!
Extra breathing exercise: This is also from the article, but is one I have many clients learn. Laying down, place one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest. Now, inhale, breathing deep into the belly, allowing the lower hand to rise first, and the upper hand not at all. To feel a fully deep breath you will be tempted to lift your shoulders and expand your chest. This feeling should pass as you expand the real muscles of breathing, and they become more pliable. You can also purse your lips as you exhale, as if trying to blow out a candle. This is especially useful for anti-anxiety breathing. Practice deep breathing at night in bed, to calm the nervous system and prepare for sleep. Aim for about 5 minutes, if you're light headed, go lighter on the inhalation. I hope you find this useful,
Sweet Dreams
