Health » Take a deep breath
"Life begins with the first breath and ends with the lastbut it is how we breathe in betweenwhich greatly influences how well we live in this life"Nancy Zi The Art of Breathing |
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The Importance of Breathing
The obvious one is that breathing keeps us alive! Our respiratory engineering system obtains oxygen from the air and releases waste carbon dioxide out via our lungs.
Oxygen nourishes your every cell and is vital for optimum health and performance.
Breathing also allows us to both mentally and physically cleanse and release tension with every exhalation and nourish and invigorate with every inhalation.
Deep ‘tummy’ breathing techniques relaxes muscles, improves blood flow to the abdominal area.
It also helps massage our internal organs and tone the abdominal muscles.
Understanding Breathing
Although the lungs are the major organ of breathing, it is the diaphragm that controls the process. The muscular diaphragm is shaped like a dome and relaxes and contracts for rhythmic movement. Breathing is 3 dimensional .Your ribs and chest expand forwards, outwards and your and spine backwards.
Breathing slowly and deeply lowers our stress levels, slows our heart rate, releases calming hormones and gently energises our body with renewed feshness.
Being mindful of your breath
By connecting with how we breathe we are more able to enjoy a state of Inner relaxation and natural harmony
How to Breathe
- Find a comfortable position. Lengthen through your spine.
- Relax your jaw and shoulders.
- Breath deep into your tummy.
- Picture your diaphragm relaxing downwards rather than forcing or pushing it down.
- Be aware of your tummy expanding outwards. If you wish you can place your hands on your tummy and feel it expand.
- At the same time feel your rib cage widen, your spine expand backwards and your shoulders gently rise.
- Now softly exhale and gently pull your tummy to your spine to release the last of the breath.
- Pause for just a moment, then begin the cycle of breath again.
With regular practice this awareness will grow
Breathing for Birth
As you have read breathing is a great way to relax, release and find your natural rhythm.
So it is a fantastic tool for birth.
Throughout labour deep tummy breathing is a wonderful way to replenish your oxygen stores to you and your baby. It also helps give you an energy boost for the next contraction.
However, sometimes when we are stressed or experience pain we have a tendency to hold our breath or panic breathe with lots of short shallow breaths.
This creates tension, stress and is an inneffctive way to inhaling valuable oxygen. It is also physically and mentally exhausting.
During a contraction when the uterine muscles are at their peak of taughtness it can be difficult to take in a deep full breath.
Instead of panic breathing try to stay focused and in control of your breath. Imagine gently blowing a feather away from in front of your lips.
Keep your lips soft. Let your breath flow in shallow wisps
Concentrate only on your breathing and let any pain float away
Once the contraction is over remember to return to deep tummy breathing to reinvigorate you for the next one. The more revitalising oxygen you take on board, the more you can relax and let go of any muscular stress and simply let go in this interval; the better prepared you will be for the next contraction.
These seemingly simply techniques work and repeated again and again after each contraction may hopefully lead you to the calm and confident birth of you baby.
Interestingly babies practice the movement of breathing in utero even though they are not really taking air into their lungs.
As you practice mindful breathing imagine they are practicing in rhythm with you. What a wonderful way to connect!