Relax and reset your body with these short and simple exercises
Have you ever had a day that just no matter what you try to do, you can't seem to get yourself ahead of the curve? Where no matter what, you just seem to have the wrong reaction, the wrong timing, just the wrong everything? When everything seems to be going wrong, sometimes the issue is something as small as how your body is reacting to what is occurring around you. Often what is happening is that our breath is reacting to our stress and quickening and shorting its duration, causing our blood pressure and body temperature to rise and also creating a lot of dead pockets of air in our lungs. Without proper breathing we start to feel lethargic and overwhelmed with even simple tasks. When you feel these symptoms happening to you give yourself 5 minutes and one of these breathing exercises. All you need is a quiet place and a timer.
Sitali Breath
This is another yoga practice breath like Lion's Breath (find out about it here) and is designed to relax you and lower your body temperature. This is a great exercise to use after you just had an upsetting phone call or meeting or you just had to rush to get somewhere on time. It is designed not just to relax you but also to start cooling your body down quickly. Start by finding a comfortable position at your desk or on the floor and breathe normally. You can slow your breath down and start extending your inhales and exhales, but do not force it. Once you find yourself in a comfortable position you can start practicing your sitali breath.
Now I will warn you, this is another “funny looking” exercise, like Lion's Breath, so you may want some visual privacy for this. Don't let the awkwardness of the exercise intimidate you, however. It is ok to laugh, laughing will even relax you further, but please give this exercise a chance! Despite the uniqueness of this exercise, it will work quite well. Extend your tongue from your mouth and curl your tongue so the edges of your tongue are touching. If you do not have this tongue flexibility you can also push your lips like you are making a kiss. Start your inhale through your mouth and exhale through your nostrils. As you exhale, you can let your mouth relax, but bring it back in position for the inhale! Give yourself a few practice runs as this is the reverse of how we typically breathe. Once you have the hang of it, set a timer for 5 minutes and continue this breath pattern. At the end of your 5 minutes you should be cool and relaxed.
Deep Breath
Sometimes when we are overworked and stressed our breath starts to get really shallow. We sometimes even start holding our breath. This can turn into a habit if we are not careful! If you ever noticed yourself suddenly feeling overwhelmed or frustrated simply start lengthening your breath and you will feel immediate improvement. Get in a spot where you can spend 5 minutes uninterrupted and get yourself comfortable. Set your timer and begin focusing on your breath. Let your lungs and diaphragm work equally and allow yourself to let your belly expand. If you aren't sure how to do this technique, hop over to our Introduction to Breathing article here for a brief description. As you exhale, pull all the air out of your lungs. When you feel your lungs are completely empty, pull your belly button to spine sharply and let out the last of your air.
Expand your lungs to the maximum, counting out how long it takes. Whatever your number is, exhale for 2 extra counts out. For example, if you breathed in for 8 counts, exhale for 10. Try to extend your breath with each inhale until you simply can not add any more air into your body. Be sure with each exhale you always give that extra push to get the last of the air out of your lungs. Continue in this manner for the 5 minutes and you will find yourself newly invigorated and ready for the day!
Equal Breath
Similar to deep breath, but rather than stretching it out, this exercise seeks to find equality in your breathing. Though you can use equal breaths to lengthen your breathing, it is not necessary to lengthen your breathing for this exercise to work. Find a comfortable place to sit where you can be still for five minutes and get yourself seated in a way you can remain still for a while. Once you are in place start breathing in through your nostrils and out through your mouth. After a couple of normal breaths, begin counting the time it takes for you to inhale and try to match that count with your exhale. Focus on your breath and your count, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth in a continuous stream for equal lengths. Continue like this, counting the length of your breath in and matching the count on your exhale until your timer goes off. Turn off your alarm and give yourself one more centering breath, you are now ready to face the rest of your day.
These are just a few of our favorite breathing exercises, but we have plenty more for you to try out. Here and here. Be sure to check out our Introduction to Breathing article here as well if you find yourself being unfamiliar with some of the terms used in the exercises above. Ultimately the goal of these breathing exercises is to return your mind to your body and bring awareness back to your body and its reactions to your environment. Some days it may feel too difficult to focus on one of these exercises, in which case we suggest just spending 5 minutes alone. Don't think about anything, simply count or zone out at a cloud or image. Avoid screens as an alert can ruin the whole experience, and simply be in the moment. These breathing exercises are designed to help you get in the moment quicker but on those days when it feels like even controlling your breath is too much, simply breathe, empty your mind and exist in the moment.
How often are you aware of your breath? Do you have a favorite breathing exercise you would like to share? Reach out to us with any comments or questions at info@bullionite.com