Deep Breathing Part 2

Most of us tend to breathe shallowly when concentrating on other things, which for most of us is most of the time. If you feel tired and yawn a lot, that’s a big clue you need to pay attention to your breathing. Every half hour, stop what you’re doing for a minute and just concentrate on your breath. Breathe deeply through your nose. Inhale to the count of five, then exhale to the count of five. Do this four or five times.

At home, use scented candles or a pleasing air freshener. Aromatherapy works in part because pleasing scents make you want to inhale more deeply. A study was done on premature infants who had problems with sleep apnea (the body stops breathing during sleep), and when a bit of vanilla essence was used on the crib linens, the babies’ breathing improved significantly. When the vanilla was not used, their apnea resumed to original levels.

Yogic breathing also helps you lose weight. Metabolism increases and the body works more efficiently when the cells are charged with oxygen instead of laden with toxins. No, you can’t just breathe your way to a size six, you must also eat better and exercise, but breathing techniques can help you lose weight faster, as well as toning your abdominal muscles.

There are a few things to remember when doing deep breathing exercises. -Don’t overdo it. If you feel dizzy or lightheaded, stop and resume normal breathing. Like other exercises, it may take some time and practice to get used to. -Don’t practice yogic breathing in polluted air. This includes smog, exhaust, cigarette smoke, areas that are or just were being cleaned with chemicals, incense, places where you can smell fresh paint or new flooring, and grease-laden air typical of fast food restaurants. -Loosen restrictive clothing. -Practice several times a day!

Once the toxins start clearing out of your body, you will notice your muscles relax, your mood improve, your tolerance for stress improve, and you will get a better night’s sleep. You may find you get sick less often during cold and flu season. You may even find your in-laws don’t irritate you quite as much as they used to. Ah, the benefits of proper breathing abound! Taking a deep breath and counting to ten—it isn’t just for anger management anymore.

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