Mindful breathing can reduce stress, increase feelings of goodwill, and keep us present in the moment
Breathing is fundamental to life – an automatic process that we largely take for granted. Only when we experience difficulties in this area is the ability to breathe easily truly appreciated. Furthermore, exhalation research has shown that our breath is completely unique to the individual – much like a fingerprint; our breath contains a characteristic molecular ‘breathprint’.
Our breath is one of the most fundamental connections we have with our environment. Every time we breathe in and out, we receive and give to our natural environment. This is a simple yet profound connection. We eliminate up to 70% of the waste in our body through our lungs. Clean air is essential for maintaining the delicate balance of life on our planet.
Our breath is one of the most fundamental connections we have with our environment
Breathing well means living well
Our breath is connected to our emotional state. Have you ever noticed how your breathing changes when you feel anxious? We tend to take shallower breaths when we’re nervous, and even shorter and faster breaths when we’re panicking. When we feel tense, we hold our breath and pause at the highest point of our inhale before exhaling. Anger affects our breath by forcing long inhalations and exhalations. In a calm state, we breathe slowly and steadily, and our breathing becomes more shallow as we relax, similar to when we begin to fall asleep.
If you want to overcome the fear of life, live in the moment, live in the breath. – Amit Ray
Breathing is unique compared to other automatic functions of the body because it can also be controlled voluntarily. Techniques for using the breath to direct and enhance the body’s energy, and to aid in the release of emotions, date back thousands of years.
“Yogis measure longevity by the number of breaths,
not by the number of years.” -Swami Sivananda
It is said that if you breathe 15 times a minute, you will live to be 75 or 80 years old. If you breathe 10 times per minute, you will live to be 100 years old. The rate at which you breathe determines your lifespan. If you breathe too fast, your life will be shortened.
Breathing well means living well. We are all born with the control of breathing. As babies, we naturally practice deep abdominal breathing. As we age, stressful lifestyles and anxiety affect the way we breathe. Breathing from the abdomen is essential because the blood in the lower part of the lungs is rich in oxygen. This diaphragmatic breathing, or baby breathing, triggers the body’s relaxation response. If you use your diaphragm properly, you will see your stomach gently expand as you inhale and relax as you exhale. Shallow, high-pitched breathing from the chest is linked to many conditions, such as anxiety disorders, asthma and back pain.
Our breath regulates our autonomic nervous system and promotes the sympathetic (fight or flight) response or the parasympathetic (rest and digest) response. When practicing yoga, the Pranayama breathing techniques can shift the balance of the autonomic nervous system away from sympathetic dominance.
Short, shallow breathing causes a cascade of negative effects in the body, and the body associates that with the fight-or-flight response – in other words, shallow breathing is stressful breathing. The truth is that many of us are not aware of our breathing patterns because our minds are in overdrive. It is very common for most of us to breathe inefficiently and cause our body to be in ’emergency mode’, which promotes anxious feelings.
The power of the vagus nerve
It is a common belief that we breathe only with our lungs, but in fact the work of breathing is done throughout the body. – Alexander Lowen
Both meditation and deep, slow abdominal breathing are linked to increased vagal tone. The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body and supports everything from your health and well-being to friendships and happiness. It travels all the way from the brain to the digestive system. This nerve works through the parasympathetic nervous system.
The strength of your vagus response is known as your vagal tone. High vagal tone improves the function of many body systems. Benefits include better blood sugar regulation, reduced risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease, lower blood pressure and improved digestion through optimal production of digestive enzymes.
It affects the release of oxytocin, a hormone important in social bonding. Studies have shown that higher vagal tone is associated with greater closeness to others and more altruistic behavior. When your exhalation lasts even a few beats longer than your inhalation, the vagus nerve is signaled. Breathing from your diaphragm, rather than superficially from the top of the lungs, stimulates and strengthens the vagus nerve.
Understanding the art of breathing can lead to self-healing and inner peace
DID YOU KNOW?
– About 70% of our toxins are released from our body through our breath. Carbon dioxide is a natural waste product of your body’s metabolism. The benefits of deep breathing help the body’s systems process it more efficiently.
Transform suffering with conscious breathing
Breathing meditation shows an improvement in vagal function.
It’s encouraging to know that by using something as seemingly simple and powerful as our breath, we can heal our bodies and minds. When asked what his favorite practice was, author, monk and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh replied:
There are people who say that I only learn one thing: inhaling and exhaling. They are right. With conscious breathing we are more present to ourselves and to the world. It helps us transform inner suffering and get in touch with the inter-being nature of reality. So all we have to do is breathe mindfully – that’s enough.
Try our guided deep breathing meditation