Breathe: 3 Breathing Exercises to Try Today
Mental Wellness
Breathwork (breathing exercises) is one of my favorite interventions for stress management. Our breath is a natural way to cultivate a calm mind, body and spirit. One of the reasons breathwork resonates with me is because our breath is always with us. You do not need a pen paper, laptop, etc. During a time of extensive and excessive stress, being able to give our nervous systems a break is not a luxury but a necessity.
Here are a few of the breathing exercises that I use in my practice as well as personally:
4-4-8 Breathing
1. Sit in a comfortable position.
2. Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4, taking the breath into your stomach.
3. Hold your breath for a count of 4.
4. Release your breath through your mouth with a whooshing sound for a count of 8.
5. Breathe in again for a count of 4.
6. Repeat the entire technique 3-4 times in a row.
https://uhs.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/breathing_exercises_0.pdf
Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing)
Take a comfortable and tall seat, making sure your spine is straight and your heart is open.
Relax your left palm comfortably into your lap and bring your right hand just in front of your face.
With your right hand, bring your pointer finger and middle finger to rest between your eyebrows, lightly using them as an anchor. The fingers we’ll be actively using are the thumb and ring finger.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath in and out through your nose.
Close your right nostril with your right thumb. Inhale through the left nostril slowly and steadily.
Close the left nostril with your ring finger so both nostrils are held closed; retain your breath at the top of the inhale for a brief pause.
Open your right nostril and release the breath slowly through the right side; pause briefly at the bottom of the exhale.
Inhale through the right side slowly.
Hold both nostrils closed (with ring finger and thumb).
Open your left nostril and release breath slowly through the left side. Pause briefly at the bottom.
Repeat 5-10 cycles, allowing your mind to follow your inhales and exhales.
https://chopra.com/articles/nadi-shodhana-how-to-practice-alternate-nostril-breathing
Bhramari pranayama (Bee Breath)
1. Sit in a comfortable position.
2. Take a few natural breaths.
3. While keeping the lips lightly sealed, inhale through the nostrils.
4. Exhale, make a buzzing sound (like a “B” or like a humming sound of the letter “M”),
5. Sustain the sound until you need to inhale.
6. Repeat Steps 1-5, 2-3 times.
I invite you to try these and even find a few more to try. Choose the ones that you notice a difference after practicing them and add those to your self-care toolbox.