Breathe

Taking the time out of a busy day to stop and think about breathing is as important as stopping to enjoy the view. I am going to try to remind myself regularly to check on my breathing throughout the day and reap the benefits.

There are so many reasons to breathe properly, here are just some:
1. Calms you, if you're feeling anxious stressed or overwhelmed... breathe!
2.  Helps you to relax, both your mind and body.
3. Increase oxygen to the brain, improving your focus and concentration.
4. Provides blood with oxygen, remiving toxins, improving circulation, rejuvenates the skin.
5. Improves your posture, opens the rib cage.
6. Loosens tense muscles... in the arms, neck and chest.
7. Increases the efficiency of your heart.
8. Makes your lungs healthier and increases stamina.
9. Aids your digestion.

Most of the time our breathing is too shallow and too quick. Shallow breathing leads to less vitality, premature aging, and poor immune systems. Quick and shallow breathing can be the result of too much hurrying, being anxious or too emotional. We need to breath more slowly and deeply.  But how can this be achieved?

To develop the habit of slow and deep breathing, we can stop throughout the day to work on our breathing. Some simple steps to better breathing:
1. With your hand over your belly, breath slowly through your nose, feeling the belly inflate as you inhale. 
2. Hold for a few seconds, then slowly exhale through the mouth, feeling your belly flatten.
3. Repeat. Remember... belly breathing is deep, chest breathing is shallow. 

Feeling stressed or anxious? Breathe!