BREATHING Archives

September 11, 2023 By GOQii 9 Comments

2 Breathing Techniques For Better Sleep

Do you have trouble getting sleep despite the fact that you are tired? Sleeping well is an art. It needs a perfect blend of healthy habits and control of mind. A clean body and mind, relaxed mood, physical exercises, and perfect dietary control are some of the basic sleep-inducing methods. However, one of the best ways to bring the body into its relaxed state is – BREATHING! How do breathing techniques for better sleep work? Let’s find out!

Breathing Techniques For Better Sleep

Breathing deeply has been proven to affect the heart, the brain, digestion, the immune system and even the expression of genes. Research has shown that breathing exercises like Pranayama can have immediate effects by altering the pH of the blood, or changing blood pressure. But, more importantly, they can be used as a method to train the body’s reaction to stressful situations and dampen the production of harmful stress hormones and help induce sleep.

Here are 2 important breathing methods to calm the mind and induce sleep naturally.

1. The 4-7-8 Technique

How To Do It?
This process is recommended by Dr. Andrew Weil, a practitioner and teacher of integrative medicine for the last thirty years. To do this exercise, sit up in bed with your back straight or lie down on a straight back and press the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth right behind your front teeth. Maintaining that position, close your mouth and inhale through your nose for four counts, hold that breath for seven counts, and then exhale through your mouth around your tongue for eight counts. Repeat this pattern until you have completed four full breaths.

How It Works?
The 4-7-8 breathing technique is effective because it encourages the fast removal of carbon dioxide. Doing so equates into a better preservation of the bicarbonate pool; our reservoirs for helping maintain an appropriate pH balance. Also, it allows the lungs to become fully charged with air, allowing more oxygen into the body, which promotes a state of calm.

2. Left Nostril Breathing

How To Do It?
Simply take your right hand and with your fingers outstretched, block off your right nostril by putting gentle pressure on it with your right thumb. Be sure to keep the rest of your fingers straight and pointing up. With a long, slow, deep breath, gently inhale through your left nostril. Then, just as gently, exhale long, slowly and completely, again through the left nostril. Do this for at least 3 minutes; chances are you might doze of even before that!

How It Works?
When we’re under stress or feeling anxious, we tend to breathe mostly out of our right nostril, which is connected to our left brain. This activates our sympathetic nervous system, the channel responsible for the classic stress response – dilated pupils, increased core temperature, sweating, and increased heart rate and blood pressure. And when we start breathing through the left nostril the parasympathetic system gets activated which slows us down and helps our body automatically run its day to day jobs of digestion, elimination, sleep cycles and more.

Apart from these 2 breathing techniques for better sleep, you can also try meditation or mindfulness by just observing your breath as it goes in and as it comes out. Connecting with this rise and fall of the breath, and noticing where you feel that breath move within the body can help you begin the process of relaxing tense muscles and create a coherent heart pattern which brings an instant state of tranquil and helps you drift off to peaceful deep sleep.

We hope this article helps you sleep better! Do you meditate before you go to bed? What helps you sleep better? Leave your thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on sleep, check out Healthy Reads or you can get tips directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

May 25, 2023 By Vandana Juneja Leave a Comment

5 Breathing Exercises To Relieve Anxiety In An Instant

Many individuals experience anxiety, which can have a significant impact on their lives. When feeling anxious, symptoms such as increased heart rate, shallow and rapid breathing, and heightened tension often arise. However, there are effective methods to alleviate anxiety, such as engaging in breathing exercises.

Breathing exercises are straightforward yet potent techniques that enable individuals to regulate their breathing and achieve a state of mental calmness. By directing attention to the breath, it becomes possible to slow down the heart rate, reduce blood pressure, and alleviate muscle tension. Here are a few breathing exercises that can help relieve anxiety.

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing

Also referred to as belly breathing or deep breathing, diaphragmatic breathing involves inhaling deeply into the abdomen. This technique aids in slowing down the breathing process and activating the relaxation response.

To practice diaphragmatic breathing, find a comfortable position by lying down on your back or sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the ground. Then, place one hand on your chest and place the other on your belly. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nostrils, noticing the expansion of your belly as you breathe in. Now, exhale through your mouth slowly while feeling your belly contract. Repeat this exercise for a few minutes, concentrating on your breath and the sensations in your body.

2. Box Breathing

Box breathing, also known as square breathing, involves following a pattern of inhaling for four counts, holding the breath for four counts, exhaling for four counts, and holding the breath again for four counts. This technique aids in regulating breathing and calming the mind.

To practice box breathing, assume a comfortable position with a straight back and your feet flat on the ground. Take a gradual breath in through your nostrils, ensuring a slow count to four. Hold your breath for four counts. Next, exhale through the mouth slowly for four counts. Before you inhale again, pause and hold your breath for a count of four. Repeat this exercise for a few minutes. Be sure to focus on your breath and the sensations in your body.

3. Coherent Breathing

The goal of coherent breathing is to slow down the breathing rate to five breaths per minute. This pattern of breathing helps lower heart rate and blood pressure, resulting in a calmer nervous system.

Sit comfortably and inhale through your nose, expanding your belly for a count of five. Without pausing at the top of the inhale, immediately begin exhaling to a count of six. Repeat this sequence at least five times to complete a full-minute cycle. If inhaling or exhaling for this length of time is challenging, start with a three-count and gradually increase.

4. Alternate Nostril Breathing

Also known as Nadi Shodhana in Sanskrit, alternate nostril breathing involves inhaling and exhaling through one nostril at a time to balance the flow of energy. This technique helps quiet the mind and emotions.

To practice Nadi Shodhana, sit upright in a comfortable position with a straight spine. Bring your right hand in front of your face, placing your index and middle fingers between your eyebrows for stability. During the exercise, you will block either the left or right nostril using your thumb and ring finger. Close your eyes and block the right nostril with your thumb. Inhale slowly through the left nostril for a count of four, take a brief pause, and exhale through the right nostril for a count of four. Perform this cycle for a minimum of five repetitions.

5. Victory Breath

Victory breath, also known as Ujjayi Breath, derives its name from the Sanskrit term and is often associated with the soothing sound resembling waves crashing against the shore, hence referred to as ocean breath.

To practice this technique, find a comfortable upright position with a straight spine and hands resting in your lap. Keep your mouth closed and begin by inhaling through your nose for a count of 4, gently constricting the airflow to the back of your throat during the inhale. After reaching the top of the inhale, pause for a second before exhaling. Constrict your throat slightly and exhale slowly to a count of 6. Repeat this exercise for 5-10 repetitions.

In conclusion, breathing exercises provide a simple yet effective means to manage anxiety. Through regular practice, you can develop the ability to regulate your breathing and cultivate a calm mind, ultimately promoting a sense of relaxation and ease. So, take a few moments each day to focus on your breath and embrace the numerous benefits of these powerful techniques.

If this article helped you, let us know in the comments below! Find more articles on breathwork and yoga here. You can also get these techniques and more from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

September 3, 2021 By Srini Leave a Comment

Breathing #3: Breath Bank

A Tamil adage says that everyone gets a certain number of breaths deposited in their account on birth. You cannot increase or decrease it – but you can efficiently use the remaining balance and get more out of it. Do you know how to get more out of your breath? How to get a higher ROI? Let’s start with the number of breaths per minute.

How Do You Measure The Breaths in Your Breath Bank?

Measure the number of breaths per minute at 4 fixed time slots in a day and do it over one or two weeks and then get the average breath per minute. If the AVERAGE number is more than 12, then you are not very efficient in using your breath balance. If you are more than 18, then you are hyperventilating!

Hyperventilation depletes Co2 from your body. The interesting fact is that Co2 is critical for oxygen absorption in the cells for effective burning of the fuel. If you are hyperventilating, then there is Co2 imbalance and even though you may have a 97% oxygen saturation in your blood, the Oxygen just floats around without being effectively used in burning the fuel.

So, to use Oxygen effectively, you need a good balance of Co2 in your body. Also, as much as you hyperventilate while under stress, the other way is also true. When you hyperventilate, the body assumes you are under stress. You are chronically under stress AND you are not burning the fuel effectively… all due to a simple issue of incorrect breathing!

Slow breathing keeps the right balance between Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen in the body and remember both are needed for the efficient functioning of the body.

“Mind is the King of the senses and Breath is the King of the Mind”, says BKS Iyengar, a renowned Yoga Guru. James Nestor, says that an ideal breathing is 5.5 seconds inhale and 5.5 seconds exhale – so this is 11 seconds and your average number of breaths would also be 5.5 per minute.

Most of the religious prayers/chants/choirs were designed to make you breathe at a rate of around 5.5 to 6 per minute. Such prayer, no wonder, has magical curative powers.

You can practice slow breathing anywhere, any time and privately. Just be conscious of how you breathe! In fact, between every activity, meeting or zoom call, take 5 minutes off and practice conscious slow and deep abdominal breathing, you will do wonders in terms of your productivity.

“If you want to live, follow Eastern Medicine (Yoga, Ayurveda) and if you do not want to die, then follow Western Medicine” – Trainer Brian MacKenzie

This subject is still developing and research is still coming through under the Western Medicine and has been in practice over thousands of years in India by our Yogis.

Western breathing experts like Dr Buteyko, James Nestor and Anders Olsson, etc. have gone on record on the benefits of slow and rhythmic breathing. In fact, Dr Buteyko observes that 80% of the population is chronically hyperventilating!

Breathing is the only tool available to humans to connect to (and influence) their autonomous nervous system and therefore mind. If you develop awareness and therefore, better understanding, you can make breathing more efficient and positively impact your mind. Breathing is the MOST POWERFUL tool humans have. Fascinating isn’t it. But Simple. I average around 8 breaths per minute now and I have personally benefited significantly in terms of overall energy through the day, feeling good and less stressed.

Practices To Help You Achieve Slow Breathing

Being Conscious of breathing
Practicing Pranayama – Kapal Bathi, Ujjayi, Pursed lip breathing, Bhastrika
Breathing using the abdomen than the chest
Tummo ( Tibetan technique) or Wim Hof method

I am placing a customary caveat for the reader that this is not medical advice and you should consult your doctor. And unfortunately, the western medical system holds that less than 10 breaths per minute is a disease and it has to be cured.

If you want more details, medical and scientific evidence, please read more at https://breathe.ersjournals.com/content/13/4/298

Further read books/podcasts of James Nestor, Brian Mackenzie, Rangan Chatterjee, Anders Olsson

We hope this article helps you improve your breath bank balance. For more on breathing, check out Healthy Reads. To get breathing exercises from your GOQii Coach, subscribe to personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

Breathe Right & #BeTheForce

August 27, 2021 By Srini Leave a Comment

Breathing #2: Why Is Abdominal Breathing Important?

In my previous article, I spoke about breathing through the nose. In this article, let me take it a bit deeper and speak about abdominal breathing. It is observed that many of us breathe through our chest and our breathing is therefore shallow.

This issue compounds when you are awake, in the office, working on something important, tense, or under stress and hyperventilate. Shallow breathing compounded with hyperventilation leads to SUBOPTIMAL gas exchange.

We take so much care about nutrition and food, but we need to know how to burn it. Same as filling Premium Petrol, as well as knowing optimal driving techniques! Unburnt or sub-optimally burnt food is responsible for weight gain, diabetes and so many chronic lifestyle illnesses.

The goal of good nutrition is that it is absorbed well and burnt well. So, right breathing is equally, if not more, important than eating the right food.

Take this simple test to know how you breathe

Lie on your back with your knees bent
Place one hand or a small book on your chest and the other on your stomach.
Breathe normally, observe what is rising – the chest or the abdomen

Observe which is rising up and down. If it is your chest, you are shallow breathing and if it is the abdomen more than the chest, you may be closer to what is the right breathing.

See the picture below to understand why this is important

Lungs are narrow at the top and wide at the bottom – sort of “Inverted V” shape. The blood flow at the bottom of the lungs is approx. 10 times than the top.

Most of the bunch of grapes (alveoli) which are the instruments of gas exchange (topic to be explained later) is at the bottom of the lungs. Now, if you breathe through your chest, you are leaving more than 60% of your lung’s “installed capacity” unused.

CFOs will know that unused installed capacity is costly! Diaphragmatic breathing gives you High Return on Inhaled Air (investment)! Simple. You can observe animals breathing, for example observe a Cow – they breathe through the abdomen only. Somewhere in evolution, the modern human has forgotten the art of breathing.

The Additional Advantages Of Abdominal Breathing

Abdomen movement helps the movement of lymphatic fluids – unlike the blood, there is no pump for lymphatic fluids. Only muscular movement acts as a pump
Abdomen movement also continuously massages the parts of stomach like liver and intestine
Abdominal movement makes it easy and lighter for your heart to pump blood

Shallow breathing leaves air behind in the lower parts of the lung, making it vulnerable to easy infection. So, why don’t we use the abdomen for breathing and benefit from optimal gas exchange which in turn helps in supplying efficient fuel (oxygen) to burn the food you are eating?

If you want to make diaphragmatic breathing into a habit, you can follow Conscious Breathing classes by Anders Olsson or Wim Hof method (which I follow) or from any Yoga Guru.

We hope this article on abdominal breathing helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on breathing, check out Healthy Reads or get these tips directly from your GOQii Coach by subscribing to personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr