Week 1 - Breathing | Weekly Article, Video, and Song

Did you know? Most people are walking around, not knowing how to breathe properly? Breathing is something we do from the day we are born until the day that we die. It's surprising that general education doesn't place much importance on teaching people the most effective way of breathing, considering we spend our lives at it. 

Although this process of inhalation and exhalation seems so simple, the way in which you are breathing could make a huge difference in how you experience life.
For most of my life, I had created a habit of breathing that wasn't giving my body the full oxygen nourishment it needed. Thankfully, about 2 years ago, I had an experience that changed the way I thought about breathing forever. I finally learned what it felt like to breathe, fully breathe, fully give my lungs the capacity of air intake I wasn't even previously aware of.
Most people are not correctly informed on proper breathing, simply because society in general has not placed much importance upon the subject. This article, video, and song are meant to act as some education on proper breathing. Hope you enjoy!!
If you know nothing about proper breathing, and realize your body has also gotten into a habit of poor breathing, no worries!!
Luckily, you have the ability to retrain your body. According to these four levels of learning (diagram below), you can train your body how to properly breathe, until eventually, you become unconsciously competent, and your body will shift to breathe properly automatically without even thinking about it. [these four levels of learning can be applied to ANY learning process, not just breathing, but anything we learn how to do]

• What happens when you don’t breathe properly?

• Lack of Oxygen throughout bodily system
• Stress 
• Tension
• Airways tighten, to compensate, we have to work harder and breathe faster to get the same work done
• Blood vessels constrict – higher blood pressure – heart has to work harder to pump
• Less energy, less oxygen to cells
• Cells have to switch from development mode to survival mode
• Brain uses 20%, brain will work slower with less oxygen
• Heart cant pump blood as effectively, cold hands & feet, poor blood circulation
• Muscles stiff, tense, tired faster

•   What happens when you do breathe properly?

•  Vagus nerve strengthens, creating a greater connection between your brain, heart, lungs, and digestive system, bringing your entire vessel into a much more efficient functioning level
•  brings you into moment - taking your conscious awareness into your body, focused on your breathing, being in the moment, and less in your thoughts over past and future, helps bring your whole body into balance
• oxygen flows to all these areas, switching everything in your system from survival mode, to development, balanced mode

• you gain the ability to RESPOND, rather than REACT to stressful situations in your life

PROPER BREATHING

1. Breathe through nose. – nose is designed to refine the air quality that goes into your lungs (your mouth is for eating!) – air taken in from mouth filled with viruses bacteria, unfiltered, raw, cold air
2. Use the diaphragm instead of your chest to breathe– 70-80% of breathing should be done by the diaphragm – deep breaths, helps lungs with gas exchange, diaphragm massages your liver, stomach, and intestines, gives a rhythmical balance to them, lymphatic system gets help it needs to get rid of waste products from bowels, pressure in chest and belly lessens, heart gets to work less hard, more effective muscle work since they won’t be overcompensating for the lack of oxygen, chest relaxes, so do neck and shoulders, good for lessening any pain in those areas,
3. Breathe relaxed – our breathing reflects our thoughts, feelings, and physical body…stressful situations have us feeling tense also lead to tense and stressful breathing. Lack of oxygen leads to even more stress. Take control over your breathing...become mindful of what's going on in your body.
4. Breathe rhythmically – everything... ocean waves, seasons, moon, has a natural rhythm. Your breathing is no different. We can tune our bodies to function their absolute best with breath.
5. Breathe silently – snoring, yawning are ways your body overcompensates for lack of oxygen. Through silence we may also silent our thoughts, bringing our awareness completely into the present moment.

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTING PROPER BREATHING INTO YOUR HABITS

1. Set an hourly alarm. Each hour during the day, whenever the alarm goes off, notice how your breathing is. 
2. Take 5 minutes a day to do nothing but focus on your breathing, consciously taking the breath from the upper chest areas to the lower belly/diaphragm areas of your body
3. Use imagery. Imagine when you take a breath in, the pure oxygen is flowing into your body, and when you exhale, imagine it spreading throughout every muscle and organ, reaching every cell, giving it the nourishment it needs. By using creative imagery with the breath, not only does the process become more fun, but the intention behind the breathing becomes fully integrated.

AS A REMINDER TO BREATHE, 

I HAVE COMPOSED AN ORIGINAL SONG, "BREATHE" 

WHICH YOU CAN LISTEN TO FOR FREE

 & DOWNLOAD FOR JUST $1.00 BELOW!