The Benefits Of Breathing - Deeply

To create energy efficiently, our body needs oxygen to feed our cells. Our cells will give out carbon dioxide when they are creating energy.

The process of breathing ensures that we provide adequate oxygen to produce the energy we need to function and move out the carbon dioxide that our cells produce. We do not want to store too much carbon dioxide in our blood as this can lead to respiratory failure.

In . . . and . . . out.

Oxygen in . . . carbon dioxide out. We need oxygen to stay alive.

When you sit or stand tall and take a deep breath in, it increases your heart rate. When you breath out, you heart rate slows down. Doing this a few times will bring your heart rate in better tune with your breathing.

When this happens, your brain releases endorphins which will have an energising but naturally calming effect.

Frequent Breathing Breaks

In the same way that you will drink a glass of water periodically, try to take frequent deep breathing breaks. They work wonders.

Here's a little routine that I incorporate into my day, 7 or more times:

• Stand with feet slightly apart, hands at your side.
• Turn your palms out and slowly raise your hands above your head.
• While raising your hands, breathe in as deeply as you can, counting to 7.
• Hold your breath and your hands above your head to the count of 7.
• Breathe out deeply and slowly as you lower your hands to your side to the count of 7.
• Do this 7 times.

Try to build up to doing this breathing activity first thing in the morning, as often as you can during the day and last thing before bed.