How can breath-focused meditation improve your health?

Nowadays, more people start to realize the importance of nutrition in health and adjust their diet to meet the nutrition requirements. Whilst we are noticing the significance of vitamins and protein, we might have underestimated the potential of one substance – oxygen. Oxygen is not only a necessity for living, but it also provides nutrition for our body cells. We have changed our eating habits to get healthier, so why haven’t we change how we breathe to achieve better well-being?

I am sure you have heard people telling you to “take a deep breath” when you look nervous. Taking a deep breath is a common technique to reduce anxiety and stress, and it does work. Controlled breathing has many benefits both physically and mentally. It may lower your blood pressure, strengthen your breathing muscles, increase the oxygen level in your bloodstream, calm you down, or sharpen your mind.

Here are some breathing exercises, or breath-focused meditation, that can improve your health.

Before you start these exercises, find a relaxing position for yourself. You can sit, stand, or lie down (face up), but your upper body must be straight so that you can expand your chest and abdomen freely.

1. Balanced Breathing
This is the easiest breathing exercise. It only requires you to count numbers while you inhale and exhale.
–While inhaling, slowly count from 1 to 4.
–Exhale, count from 1 to 4 with the same speed as inhaling.
–Repeat 3 times.

This exercise will help you relax, especially before you have an exam or try to get ready for sleep. After you get used to this balanced breathing technique, you can extend the time and count from 1 to 5, 6, 7, or more.

2. 4-7-8 Breathing
This is another easy technique that is similar to Balanced Breathing.
–Exhale completely.
–Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
–Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
–Exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds. It works better if you can hear the sound when exhaling.

This exercise is useful for relaxation and allows you to fall asleep quickly.

3. Abdomen Breathing
Normally, you will breathe with either chest, abdomen, or both when you do not control your breath. In this exercise, you will learn how to control your breathing muscles and use your abdomen to breathe.

How to do it?
–Inhale slowly, and feel your diaphragm press down.
–Expand your abdomen to its maximum.
–Hold your breath for 1 or 2 seconds.
–Slowly exhale, you may also contract your abs to squeeze out more air.
–Repeat 3 times.

This exercise will help you focus and sharpen your mind because it requires you to shift your attention to breathing to control your chest and abdomen. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. Feel the “ups and downs” of your muscles to make sure you are doing this exercise correctly.

4. Alternate nostril breathing (Nadi Shodhana)
This technique practices breathing with only one nostril at a time and provides you with energy when you are tired. It can even lower blood pressure and increase your consciousness. Here are the steps.

How to do it?
–Close your right nostril completely with your right thumb. Inhale deeply and slowly with your left nostril.
–Release your right thumb. Close your left nostril completely with your left thumb and slowly exhale with your right nostril.
–Inhale deeply and slowly with your right nostril.
–Release your left thumb. Close your right nostril completely with your right thumb and slowly exhale with your left nostril.
–Repeat 5 to 10 times.

This exercise will clear your nostrils and train both sides of your brain to coordinate better. Can you feel air and energy flowing within your body after doing this exercise?

Breathing exercises are good for your health and they are extremely easy to do. You can do them anytime, anywhere. Whenever you feel stressed, depressed, tired, or restless, try to do some breathing exercises. They will help you to clear your mind, focus on the present, and bring you long-term health benefits such as lowering blood pressure. Practice these exercises on a daily routine and you will definitely get some great results.