The benefits of breath centered practices have been celebrated for thousands of years. In today's world with all the stressors we encounter, the need to 'breathe' has never been more important. Stress and anxiety are the cause of much illness & ill health, especially in western societies. Many of us live in a constant heightened state of anxiety and are unable to switch off our innate stress response. Deep breathing has been shown to reduce stress, which in turn brings the body into balance.
" Breathing slowly and mindfully activates the hypothalamus, connected to the pituitary gland in the brain, to send out neurohormones that inhibit stress-producing hormones and trigger a relaxation response in the body."
Breathing practice has been shown to contribute to weight loss, reduce depression, insomnia & calm the nervous system amongst other benefits. Just 10 minutes a day is enough to literally transform your life!
So next time you're in your Pilates or yoga class, or when you're jogging, swimming, cycling, practicing Qi gong or Tai Chi, whatever your favourite movement practice, or when you're at home with some spare minutes.... try focusing on your breath a little more, let the breath guide you and see what you can learn from it. Slow down (or speed up) in your postures or exercises to accommodate the breath. Make breathing the focus rather than pushing your body, notice how much easier it is to move when the breath stays free & relaxed!
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
"If you know the techniques of mindful breathing, mindful walking, mindful smiling, you can bring your mind back to your body and you become truly alive." Thich Nhat Hanh
EXERCISE OF THE DAY
Taking the spine into slight extension has a very calming effect on the parasympathetic nervous system, and provides a shortcut to reaching a deep state of relaxation.
Lie on the floor or bed with a small rolled up towel along your spine from the base of your ribcage to your skull (or lie on the length of a Pilates Foam roller on the floor, or a yoga bolster), knees bent and feet resting on the floor/ bed. Relax, keep your chin gently drawn down to lengthen the back of your neck, relax between your shoulder blades and let your ribcage sink down, let the pelvis and legs relax and keep the muscles that run either side of your spine soft, notice your breath.
Feel your lungs expand out into your ribcage on the inhalation, noticing any tightness and breathing into it. On the exhalation let the air out slowly.
BREATHE FOR 10-15 minutes before removing foam roller or towel.
CAUTION: If you have any back issues, keep you lower back relaxed and lie on a towel all the way from the skull to the sacrum. (This exercise should be comfortable and pain free, please stop and see a professional if you experience any pain.)
NOTE: I find this really helpful in getting to sleep at night and believe it would be very helpful to you insomniacs out there! Place a flat folded T-shirt or towel under your upper back so that the extension is very slight. You can sleep with it there or if you stir, take it out (without waking yourself fully!)
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