Tips To Add Breathwork To Your Routine
We do it at every moment, every single day of our life. Most of the time we pay absolutely no attention to it. So why has breathing become a big deal?
There’s a lot of hype around breathwork (you’ve maybe heard of Wim Hof?) and there’s a lot of methods out there but really, just one simple technique is all we need for multiple health benefits.
I’m a firm believer that we have in-built tools to help us navigate life’s ups and downs; our breath being one of them. The problem is we don’t know how to use these tools to our advantage and we’ve been conditioned to look outside ourselves for solutions to our problems.
If only we were taught this stuff at school!
So, for easy, accessible, ‘safe for all’ practices that make us feel great, that we can do anytime, anywhere … let me re-introduce you to your breath.
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We know that modern day life is stressful. It’s fast paced and we put ourselves through a lot. We’ve also normalised stress so much that it’s become hard to recognise when our health is compromised. Often it takes a health scare to finally wake us up.
I’m very pleased to remind you that you can take control of your health. Take your power back!
Diaphragmatic breathing (also called ‘deep breathing’ or ‘belly breathing’) reduces the body’s production of stress hormones, lowers the heart rate, regulates blood pressure, helps clear the mind and brings you into a relaxed state.
We’ve all heard the phrase “take a deep breath” but how many of us do it properly? As a yoga teacher and soul coach with a special interest in this area, I can tell you that most people could do with some guidance.
Wait … what? How can you get taking a deep breath wrong?
Breathwork is about re-learning a lot of the time. Let’s look at the science for a moment …
The diaphragm is the muscle used in breathing. Like any muscle in the body, for peak performance we’ve got to exercise it. A weak diaphragm is often linked to respiratory problems and sleep issues.
The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle that lies below the lungs.
When you inhale the muscle contracts and flattens down, creating a vacuum that draws air into the lungs. At the same time the chest cavity expands outwards creating space for the lungs and the lower belly expands outwards.
On your exhale the diaphragm relaxes and returns to its dome shape as the belly and chest cavity contract.
If this is an automatic process, then why do we need to pay attention to it?
If we go back to our everyday lives for a moment …
Remember how busy you are both physically and mentally? You will no doubt be taking far shallower breaths than what I’ve described.
Most of us spend our time shallow breathing.
Shallow breathing means we’re only utilising the upper lungs, stimulating receptors associated with anxiety and stress. It means extra work for the muscles around the chest, shoulders and neck to help us breathe and in turn this can lead to headaches, shoulder and neck pain.
By committing to conscious breathing, where you choose to focus on diaphragmatic breathing, you can quickly activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the relaxation response) and allow all the systems of the body to function at peak efficiency.
So here’s how we do it …
1 Breathe through your nose
The nose is the body’s first line of defence when it comes to avoiding infection. It acts as a natural air filter and helps slow the breath down. I know nasal breathing might be a challenge (perhaps you have a cold, a deviated septum or another issue) so don’t beat yourself up if this is you. Breathe in your own way. The most important thing is to get that diaphragm working properly.
2 Fill that belly!
As you inhale, visualise dropping the breath to the base of the lungs and ‘fill’ your belly (ie let it expand forwards and outwards). Great! You’re working the diaphragm! Relax and observe the movement in your body as you breathe.
3 Breathe at an even pace
It might be helpful to add a count to your breath. Try breathing in for a count of four to start and exhale for the same count (maximum of 6 second breaths). Always check that it feels comfortable and never a stretch. You want to feel comfortable throughout. Don’t turn the practice into a competition with yourself, there are no prizes here so keep your count manageable.
4 Listen to your breath
The sound of our breath is very healing and mirrors the sound of waves on the shore. It’s also a useful anchor to keep you focussed on your practice and to minimise distractions in your mind. You’ll instinctively know how to make your breath more audible to you. Trust yourself.
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Here are my tips to help you get started on your new breathwork regime!
- Make this part of your daily routine. Do it before you get out of bed to set the tone for your day, or set a reminder on your phone to check-in with yourself and practice at other points in the day. It’s also great preparation for meditation or sleep.
- Start with 3 or 5 minutes of practice. We can all spare this time. Maybe you’ll extend your practice to 20 minutes on some occasions? Why not set a timer so you can relax and get into it without worrying about your to-do list?
- You can use this technique any time you need it. Next time you’re in a traffic jam check in with how you feel and how your breath is. This is the perfect time to practice diaphragmatic breathing! If you’re triggered and feel you’re about to react negatively to a situation, take a moment to connect to your breath and regulate it. It will make all the difference to the outcome of your situation.
A final couple of things …
Don’t practice breathwork when you have a cold. Always be kind to yourself and wait until you feel better.
If you’re sharing any of this with a child, don’t encourage them to breathe at the same pace as you. Their lungs are still developing and won’t be at the same capacity as yours, so best to avoid counting breaths with children. “Belly breathing” where you just focus on the belly going out on the inhale and in on the exhale is best for kids.
Becoming breath aware is a beautiful way to connect inward and build self-love. It’s often said that the breath is spirit within you, giving you life. What a wonderful pathway home to your true self.
Please get in touch if you have any questions or are looking for support.
Laura Horsburgh is a fully qualified and insured Yoga Teacher, Intuitive Soul Coach and
Healer from Aberdeen, who is passionate about self-discovery. Through private or group
coaching opportunities, workshops and retreats, Laura aims to free you from all that holds
you back from living a life of true purpose and passion.
Why not check out her Free audio download – ‘Feel Grounded and Calm; a breathing
practice’
Find Laura on Instagram @laura.soulcoach