Breathing for Health & Stress Reduction
Sunday, November 1st, 2009November 1, 2009
I’d like you to do something simple. Just for a moment focus on your breathing. If you like you can close your eyes. First relax your abdomen. Now take a slow, deep breath in…Breathe deeply into your belly then breathe all the way out. When you are ready open your eyes.
How was that? Did it feel good? And it was easy too. Most Americans do not breathe properly. Because of cultural tendencies they tend to breathe shallowly into their chests. And if upset a person may hardly breathe at all.
Yet breathing is the most basic vital function. Without it you could not exist. Did you know that your body is designed to release 70% of its toxins through breathing? If you are not breathing effectively, you are not properly ridding your body of its toxins. This means that other systems in your body must work overtime which could eventually lead to illness.
Deep conscious breathing benefits the body in many ways. For example, it releases tension. Think how your body feels when you are tense, angry, scared or stressed. It constricts. Your muscles get tight and your breathing becomes shallow. When your breathing is shallow you are not getting the amount of oxygen that your body needs. In order to breathe properly you need to breathe deeply into your abdomen not just your chest.
Deep conscious breathing is a simple way to relax and refresh. Suppose you are running on overload. Your body and brain feel frazzled and fried. What will help is to relax your body by paying attention to your breathing. It only takes a few minutes. Breathe slowly, deeply and purposefully into your body. Notice any places that are tight and breathe into them. As you relax your body, you may find that the breathing brings clarity and insights to you as well.
Want to relieve emotional problems? Once again deep, conscious breathing will help clear uneasy feelings out of your body. As a counselor, I help people resolve their issues. I find that when I have a client breathe deeply into her body, it helps in three ways. It gets her in touch with her feelings. It eases the discomfort. And it aids in an understanding of the problem.
Breathing is so basic it is easy to take it for granted. You may not realize its connection to how you think feel and experience life. For example, what happens to your breathing when you anticipate pain? You probably hold your breath. Yet studies show that breathing into your pain helps to ease it.
As you can see breathing sustains life in many ways. With deep conscious breathing you can more properly rid your body of toxins. You can release tension in your body. And you can ease emotional, mental and physical discomfort.
So remember the next time you find yourself feeling tense, angry scared or stressed…pause for a moment and remember to breathe.
Susan Eller
