Get More Out Of Life Anywhere, Anytime With Mindful Breathing
We breathe all day, every moment without thinking about it. It happens naturally, all the time. As such, this makes the breath a really important anchor to the present.
Breathing exercises are an accessible entry point into mindfulness which allows you to be more aware of your thoughts and emotions. This gives you a window to ease these thoughts and emotions before they become overwhelming, and create stress or anxiety.
What Is Mindful Breathing?
Closely tied to deep breathing exercises, mindful breathing takes it a step further and connects the benefits of deep breathing with the process and techniques of mindfulness.
Attention to the breath—and intention of the breath—is a fundamental aspect of mindfulness, the practice of cultivating non-judgmental awareness of the present moment.
Hence, mindful breathing is a simple act of being aware of your breath as you inhale and exhale. It is a technique available to all and is used to bring awareness to the present moment through focusing on the breath and the sensations that are associated with it. This can be done by paying attention to the inhale and exhale of the breath, as well as the way the body moves when breathing.
This can help to calm and focus your mind, as well as your body.
Wonderful Benefits Of Mindful Breathing
There are many advantages to practicing mindful breathing. When you practice mindful breathing, it can be very calming and help ground us and bring us back to the present, rather than dwelling on past events or worrying about the future.
Furthermore, mindful breathing can really help in improving your overall physical health and well-being. Some of the specific benefits of mindful breathing are as follows:
- Calms The Nervous System
Research has shown that mindful breathing can help to reduce stress, anxiety and depression.
When you are stressed, your nervous system goes into an automated mode: fight-or-flight. This is a typical reflex to stress. However, when you are constantly in the fight-or-flight mode, it takes a serious impact on your physical and mental health.
Mindful breathing is one of the best ways to calm the nervous system. When you focus on your breath, it sends a signal to your brain that you are safe and there is no need to be in fight-or-flight mode. This can help to lower your heart rate and blood pressure and reduce stress hormones such as cortisol.
- Promotes Better Sleep
Mindful breathing can also help to improve sleep quality. When you focus on your breath, it can help to clear your mind and allow you to relax. This can result in deeper and more restful sleep. When you get a good night’s sleep, you wake up feeling more alert and energetic, ready to take on the world!
Take on the 7-days sleep challenge and experience the transformation in your energy levels, productivity, and mood!
- Reduces Pain
Did you know that mindful breathing can also be an effective “pain reliever”? When you concentrate on your breathing, you can divert your attention away from the pain. This can help alleviate muscle tension, raise your pain threshold, and as a result, reduce your perception of pain.
- Enhances Immunity
When you focus on your breath, it can help to reduce stress hormones such as cortisol in your body and improve your overall sense of well-being. This can help to increase the production of immune cells and improve the function of the immune system.
- Improves Concentration
Concentration is an important aspect to perform better in life. Mindful breathing can help to improve concentration. When you focus on your breath, it can help to clear your mind and allow you to focus on the present moment. Also, the act of inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth improves blood circulation and relaxes the body.
A relaxed body and mind can definitely help you concentrate better and increase your focus and productivity on the task at hand.
How To Practice Mindful Breathing
There are many different types of breathing techniques that have been linked to the numerous benefits mentioned earlier.
Mindful breathing is one of the easiest methods which you can start, anytime and anywhere. This type of breathing exercise does not involve manipulating the breath; it simply focuses on the natural occurrence of breathing.
To practice mindful breathing, sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed.
Begin by breathing normally for a few minutes, and paying close attention to your breath.
Then place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest and turn your attention to focus on a physical cue, such as the rise and fall of your stomach and chest.
Breathe in slowly through your nose, feeling your stomach and chest rise. Breathe out slowly through your mouth, feeling your stomach and chest fall.
When your mind wanders, make a mental note of it, then simply return to the occurrence of each inhalation and exhalation.
Continue breathing in this way for 10-15 minutes.
Breathing in this manner helps to eliminate distraction, release negative thoughts, improve self-awareness, and calm a racing mind.
Be patient with yourself and remind yourself to pause and take a few moments for mindful breathing. In no time, you will start to reap the benefits and notice the positive change in your daily life.
Here is an interesting article on the different types of breathing that you can experiment on to see which suits you, click here to read.
