Improve your health: Breathe
When it comes to improving our health, many of us focus on areas we can easily quantify and track, such as carbs or calories, or the number of times we exercise.
As I speak around the Twin Cities, one of the major things I share is how to breathe. Most give me a strange look initially. However, 90% of the population use only 10% of their lung capacity. They use fight or flight shallow breathing.
Why is it the number one exercise? A deep belly breath quickens (inhale) then slows (exhale) your heart rate. It brings your heart rate more in sync with your breath plus releases endorphins which have a natural calming effect. It's also the quickest way to calm down in a stressful situation because it calms our largest nervous system the vegus nerve.
Here’s some of the other benefits from deep breathing:
Lowers Anxiety
Reduces Depression
Manages stress
Improves focus
Attains better sleep
But that’s not all! Science has also shown that the shrinkage and death of our micro capillaries, our smallest blood vessels, is the primary aspect of aging. As blood flow diminishes, tissues and organs get less oxygen. Also, think about why you have brain fog or cold feet.
Breathing is also a powerful tool and foundational for improving performance. It is a major influencer of how we respond to what is occurring in our everyday environment. And it has the power to move our autonomic nervous system to parasympathetic (fight or flight response to a parasympathetic “rest and recovery” response). It helps balance these two competing responses and improves your ability in the moment to manage stress.
To experience deep breathing, find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Place your hand just below your sternum. Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose (four seconds), causing your hand and stomach to go in, then exhale fully (eight seconds) causing your hand and stomach to go out.
To accelerate and create greater lung capacity, lie on the floor, and as you breathe in spread your arms out; as you breathe out fold them across your chest 30 times a day. Try this before bedtime for faster better sleep. Careful, you might feel lightheaded because of the oxygen to your brain!
Now, start exercising and breathe!
