Imagine if we had to think about each breath we take. Thank goodness our bodies do this important job every second or so of everyday automatically, without a thought from us.
Rarely do we even think about our breath. We just take for granted that it will be as needed. The quality of our breathing is in our control and we should examine how we breathe and improve our quality of breathe to increase the quality of oxygen our bodies receive.
First off have you ever noticed what kind of breather you are? Are you a chest or belly breather. Apparently we can be breathing incorrectly and not even know it. The proper way to breathe is using your diaphragm. Your belly should be expanding and detracting when you breathe not your chest.
Do you breathe from your mouth or your nose? The body wants the air to be warm and filtered and this is achieved by breathing through your nose.
Oxygen is essential to our life. We can live without water for days, months without food but without oxygen for a couple of minutes and we die. The main way our body received oxygen is through our breathing. Short shallow breathes may not allow enough oxygen into the body and we will become oxygen deprived.
Our organs depend on oxygen and we must be aware of how much we are allowing in our bodies. Breathe deep from your abdomen and allow the oxygen to penetrate throughout your lungs and body. Your lungs can be divided into three layers. The top 1/3 nourishes the spiritual or enteric body, the centre nourishes the emotion and psychological and the lower third nourishes the physical body. We need it all.
Indoor air in the winter can become stale and filled with harmful spores from pet dander, dust and moulds. Get outside and breathe.
Examine your quality of breath by counting as you breathe out (exhale). Can you increase the number you can count to? This will help you understand your breath strength. Next count how many breaths you take in one minute. Can you slow that down and take bigger, deeper breathes.
There are ways that you can improve your breathing and may include: Open your lungs up by improving your posture. Lungs, diaphragm are made to be open and curling your body over inhibits your potential to breathe. Breath deeper, get that oxygen into your body. Expand your length of breath. Reduce pollutants in your home and make the air you breathe better. Finally, get out of the house and breathe some fresh air.
Just breathe and tune into your breathing for better health.
