POWER BREATHING
Hello beautiful Self-Care Goddesses,
Happy Wednesday!
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Expressing gratitude can improve your mood. People who regularly express gratitude for the positive things in their life are shown to be happier overall, leading to lower rates of stress and depression.
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One family member I am grateful for is. . .
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According to Dean Hodgkin, power breathing can enhance the parasympathetic nervous system, inducing a state of calm in the body, allowing it to rest, and repair. It can also improve cardiac function, decrease the effects of stress and uplift both mental and physical health.
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I invite you to experience deep power breathing techniques & exercises. Lie down on your back, place your right hand on your navel and left hand on top of your chest.
a. Abdominal breathing With the next inhalation, intentionally send the air towards your navel by letting the abdomen expand and rise freely. Feel the right hand rising while the left hand remains almost still on the chest.
b. Thoracic breathing Without changing your position, shift your attention to your ribcage. With the next inhalation, think of intentionally sending the air toward your ribcage instead of the abdomen.
c. Clavicular breathing Repeat the thoracic breathing pattern & when the ribcage is completely expanded, inhale a bit more, allowing the air to fill the upper section of the lungs.
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The use and benefits of deep breathing can be traced back to ancient traditions. Many contemplative disciplines such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, and qi gong integrate this type of breathing into their practices. Recent research also supports the effectiveness of deep-breathing techniques. Here are some research backed claims on the role of power breathing for improving wellbeing:
- Regulates the nervous system. Power breathing can increase relaxation responses by activating the parasympathetic nervous system and decrease stress responses by inhibiting the sympathetic nervous system.
- It promotes emotional wellbeing. Studies on breathing techniques consistently suggest their ability to foster positive emotions and behaviors, facilitating emotional regulation and overall wellbeing.
- Enhances vitality. Evidence also points to effects on brain activity, increasing alpha and theta waves, which are related to greater vitality.
- Boosts respiratory performance. Different breathing exercises can improve respiratory efficiency through the regulation of pace, volume, and intermittent pauses in respiration, as well as by the active use of diaphragmatic muscle and actively exhaling.
- Improves biochemical and metabolic processes. Studies conducted in athletes suggest that power breathing can foster antioxidant response and protect from effects of free radicals which can results in improved health and greater longevity.
I invite you to watch my wellness video “Breathe In Ease For Stress Busting”
When feeling stressed, the respiratory muscles can tighten, so chest expansion is restricted, and shallow and more rapid breathing occurs. This is inefficient because only the upper part of the lungs are engaged in the process when in fact the lower lobes of the lungs are where there is greater blood flow, and so increased potential to absorb more energy-boosting oxygen. Power breathing is the remedy for this because research shows this kind of breathing can enhance the parasympathetic nervous system, inducing a state of calm in the body, allowing it to rest, and repair. It can also improve cardiac function, decrease the effects of stress and uplift both your mental and physical health when practiced correctly and regularly.
I am a certified Breathwork Facilitator. Connect With Me to know more on the amazing power of breathwork and learn some breathwork techniques than can help you better manage yourself.
References:
Zaccaro, A., Piarulli, A., Laurino, M., Garbella, E., Menicucci, D., Neri, B., & Gemignani, A. (2018). How breath control can change your life: A systematic review of psycho-physiological correlates of slow breathing. Frontiers of Human Neuroscience, 12, 353.
Russo, M. A., Santarelli, D. M., & O’Rourke, D. (2017). The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human. Breathe, 13(4), 298–309.