We breathe naturally all day long so why practice? In the modern, western lifestyle, as we schedule more in less time our breathing also tries to do more in less time.  To accomplish this, breathing becomes more shallow pulling air mostly into the upper part of the lungs.

Shallow breathing sends the signal that the body is under stress.  Because the body doesn’t know how to distinguish what is causing the stress, it reacts in the same way, by pumping hormones into the blood.  Over time, this continual signaling wears the body out, breaking down organs and tissues and causing hypertension.

Nasal breathing and deep diaphragmatic breathing are the focus of a beginning breathing practice. Drawing the air through nasal passages and sinus cavities triggers the parasympathetic nervous system and sends a subconscious message to the body that it is relaxed. As the air is directed deep into the lungs by expanding the diaphragm, more oxygen is available to the body, resulting in more energy.

Breathing Practice:

Begin by taking a couple of deep cleansing breaths, really forcing the air out of the lungs, then focus on inhaling and exhaling through the nose. Count with each inhale and begin counting again with each exhale, aiming to make them equal by counting to the same number. Now extend each inhale and exhale by another count or two. This will give you a baseline number.

While monitoring your breathing throughout the day, you will know if you are relaxed or stressed by noting if you are able to breathe higher or lower than your baseline number. The longer you can keep up the count, the deeper you are breathing and the more relaxed you will be.

To practice a deeper breath, bring attention to the expansion of the diaphragm.  Put your hand over the middle of the torso to where you can feel the bottom ribs with the tip of the middle finger and the base of your palm. Focus on this location as you inhale, being aware of your hand gently rising.

If your hand descends rather than rises on inhale, you are breathing into the upper region of the lungs, which is not the objective.  You want to see your torso rise in the middle and not the chest, that is when you are drawing oxygen into the lower regions of the lungs where there is more capacity to get oxygen into the blood.

This breathing practice can be even more beneficial in allergy season. Allergens can cause sinus tissue to become irritated and inflamed. Breathing practice teaches us how to widen the nasal passages to intake more air and exhale more pollutants, clearing out the passages and making it easier to breathe.

When exercising, take a relaxing breath to improve performance by keeping the body relaxed, which will allow the body to take in more oxygen and keep injuries at bay.

Remember to check-in with your breathing throughout the day.  While driving, doing the dishes or working at the computer, be aware of your breath and you will become conscious of the stressors in your life and learn how to diminish their effect.

Angela Ewari, owner of Running Yogini, is a certified running coach and yoga trainer in Denver, Colorado. Follow Angela on Twitter: http://twitter.com/running_yogini

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