To Breathe or Not to Breathe

Breathing is an involuntary action that so many of us don’t think much about. And because of that, we sometimes don’t realize that when we breathe properly it has a whole slew of positive effects on our health. Yes breathing may be overlooked so why is it such a hot topic right now? 

Research has found a multitude of positive health effects in incorporating breathwork into our daily lives. Whether we have a full morning we can dedicate to breathing or 60 seconds, breathwork has been shown to have a marked positive impact on our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. 

What are the positive health effects to breathing? 

• Engages the “rest and digest” part of our nervous system 
• Disengages our “fight or flight” stress response
• When we disengage our “fight or flight” response, we also fight off some forms of inflammation 
• When we breathe from our bellies our diaphragms massage our heart. Which is great for our heart!
• Our cortisol levels are reduced 
• Breath work has an almost immediate impact on lowering our anxiety levels 
• When you engage the “rest and digest” response you are telling your body that it is safe
• Breathing brings an overall sense of calm to your state of mind 
• When you are calm you are more centered, grounded and present 

How does one go about incorporating breathwork into their day-to-day life? Here are 2 tips on how to easily include breathwork into your routines:

1. When you wake up in the morning, try this technique. Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4, hold for 4, exhale through your mouth for 4 and hold again for 4. Repeat this for 5x. This technique is also known as “box breathing”. A youtube clip has been included to guide you. 
2. Before bed try to do the same routine you did in the morning 5x. 

*If you can do this more than 5x that is great! But if you find yourself short on time, just try a few breaths and gradually add more reps. 

YouTube videos

Where to begin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFcQpNr_KA4 

Box Breathing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEmt1Znux58 

Just adding a couple of bookends to your day and a few pauses within your day will really help you feel more centered, grounded and present within yourself and your surroundings. 

• Dr. Horowitz and staff