More than Strictly Survival: Why You Should Be Going Deep with Breath Work
By Jessica Lollino - November 20, 2020
There are a few things so automatic in life that we do them in our sleep and the most important one is breathing. Nearly all of our bodily functions rely on it and it is critical to, you know, staying alive. In fact, we do it so much that on a single day, we take an average of 17,000 breaths in.Â
But what if I told you that a lot of us aren't doing it right? Yep, the simple inhale-exhale thing is not working out as nature intended. According to experts, most of us are on autopilot, and in all honesty, that pilot may be flying the cut-rate budget airline. We are breathing too shallow and as a result, our bodies and brains are not getting the oxygen it needs, among other things, to function at its optimal level.
Right vs Wrong Breathing
Picture a sleeping baby or dog. Reflect on how their inhales fill their bellies and their exhales empty them, generally at the same pace. Now think about how you are breathing; does the air stop short in your throat or chest and then puff out fast? Are you filling your lungs up fully? Are your inhales twice the length of your exhales or vice versa? Does it make you feel a little off-balance when you’re cognitively aware of your breathing? Don’t beat yourself up if so, it’s a by-product of the lives we lead. But it is also something you can change with a little practice and the rewards are both immediate and immense.
Breathing and Your Body
Breathing is about more than simply survival. Breathing has a direct effect on your nervous system which has a direct line to every cell in your body. Breathing touches everything from your organs to digestion to the immune system to memory to sleep to even your mental wellness. Proper breathing can be harnessed to improve focus, cultivate mindfulness, boost energy, decrease anxiety and stress, improve sleep, and promote stamina and endurance. It's also been clinically shown to improve memory, reduce blood pressure, and boost immune function – all things we could all stand to improve in the face of the continuing pandemic.
Engage with Your Breath with Our Breathing Workshop Series
In December, we’ll be offering a 3-part workshop focused solely on helping people break bad breathing habits and form new ones, as well as shine a spotlight on how to harness breathing to help with some common issues we collectively experience in life.Â
Session 1: Fundamentals of Breathing and Full-body Breath Connection
In this first session, we’ll focus on correcting our breathing patterns, paying attention to posture and pace. In this guided format, you’ll connect to your breath and learn to “feel†the breath move through your body.Â
Session 2: Breathing to Decrease Stress and Boost Energy
In our second session, we’ll build on our skills by spending a little time revisiting our foundation. We’ll then learn two new techniques: one for lowering heart rate and stress and one for boosting energy.Â
Session 3: Breathing to Reduce Anxiety and Release Tension
In our final session, we'll learn two more techniques. The first will be to reduce anxiety and quiet the mind and the second will be a tension release exercise that is not only good for everyday aches, but we'll also show you how to transform it into a before-bed practice that will help you shut off your body for the night and drift into a peaceful sleep.
Please contact us at info@lodomassage.com for more information on how you and your employees can register for this special December series. We hope to see you there!Â
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< Go Back
But what if I told you that a lot of us aren't doing it right? Yep, the simple inhale-exhale thing is not working out as nature intended. According to experts, most of us are on autopilot, and in all honesty, that pilot may be flying the cut-rate budget airline. We are breathing too shallow and as a result, our bodies and brains are not getting the oxygen it needs, among other things, to function at its optimal level.
Right vs Wrong Breathing
Picture a sleeping baby or dog. Reflect on how their inhales fill their bellies and their exhales empty them, generally at the same pace. Now think about how you are breathing; does the air stop short in your throat or chest and then puff out fast? Are you filling your lungs up fully? Are your inhales twice the length of your exhales or vice versa? Does it make you feel a little off-balance when you’re cognitively aware of your breathing? Don’t beat yourself up if so, it’s a by-product of the lives we lead. But it is also something you can change with a little practice and the rewards are both immediate and immense.
Breathing and Your Body
Breathing is about more than simply survival. Breathing has a direct effect on your nervous system which has a direct line to every cell in your body. Breathing touches everything from your organs to digestion to the immune system to memory to sleep to even your mental wellness. Proper breathing can be harnessed to improve focus, cultivate mindfulness, boost energy, decrease anxiety and stress, improve sleep, and promote stamina and endurance. It's also been clinically shown to improve memory, reduce blood pressure, and boost immune function – all things we could all stand to improve in the face of the continuing pandemic.
Engage with Your Breath with Our Breathing Workshop Series
In December, we’ll be offering a 3-part workshop focused solely on helping people break bad breathing habits and form new ones, as well as shine a spotlight on how to harness breathing to help with some common issues we collectively experience in life.Â
Session 1: Fundamentals of Breathing and Full-body Breath Connection
In this first session, we’ll focus on correcting our breathing patterns, paying attention to posture and pace. In this guided format, you’ll connect to your breath and learn to “feel†the breath move through your body.Â
Session 2: Breathing to Decrease Stress and Boost Energy
In our second session, we’ll build on our skills by spending a little time revisiting our foundation. We’ll then learn two new techniques: one for lowering heart rate and stress and one for boosting energy.Â
Session 3: Breathing to Reduce Anxiety and Release Tension
In our final session, we'll learn two more techniques. The first will be to reduce anxiety and quiet the mind and the second will be a tension release exercise that is not only good for everyday aches, but we'll also show you how to transform it into a before-bed practice that will help you shut off your body for the night and drift into a peaceful sleep.
Please contact us at info@lodomassage.com for more information on how you and your employees can register for this special December series. We hope to see you there!Â
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