We all need air to survive, but have you ever wondered if the the way we breathe could influence on other aspects of our lives?
Breathing is a vital process for our body, without it we wouldn’t have oxygen which makes our organs work and our blood flow through our body. It is known that inhaling with our nose is recommended because the air is filtered. Besides being a natural process to keep us alive, there are different ways of taking oxygen, to run, sleep, do yoga or meditate.
Throughout our day the way we breathe intensifies; however when we sleep this must change. There is a breathing technique called “4-7-8”. It is essential for those nights of insomnia.
The process is simple:
- Inhale with your nose for 4 seconds
- Hold it for 7 seconds
- Slowly exhale for 8 seconds
Repeating this exercise assures a deep sleep in minutes. It works not only for sleeping, but it is also perfect to ease stressful situations such as before taking an important exam, hearing bad news, or having to face an audience.
There are several ways to meditate, but there is one that focuses on the breathing, this one is known as “mindfulness”. It consists on focusing our attention on breathing, body sensations and mind relaxation.
When practiced regularly, our brain processes information faster and more efficiently. This obviously brings tons of benefits:
- Fights back depression
- Reduces anxiety
- Deals this post traumatic stress disorder
- Improves memory
- Stops HIV progression
- Eases chronic pain
- Helps weight loss
As this two mentioned exercises there are many other, for example the “Pranayama” which is a way of breathing when practicing yoga, and the “Breathwork” that is a psychotherapeutic technique.