Breathing exercises are a way to increase lung capacity, reduce stress and improve the overall function of your respiratory system. Incorporating a couple of these exercises into your fitness plan could yield positive results for your health and sense of well-being after a few weeks.
Belly Breathing Exercise
While lying flat on your back, prepare for this exercise by attempting to fully relax. You may place small pillows beneath your knees and neck if that makes you feel more comfortable, but the key is to find a position where you can lay calmly for a few minutes without feeling the need to fidget. Place your palms on the area of your torso near the bottom of your rib cage, with your hands flat and the middle fingers of each hand lightly touching. Breathe deeply but naturally into your diaphragm, feeling your palms rise as your stomach fills with air and expands. Breathe out slowly, feeling your stomach descend as the breath leaves your body. With each subsequent exhalation, try to relax further, allowing your breathing to become naturally deeper and slower. Practice this form of breathing for at least five minutes.
Complete Breath
While sitting in a chair with your back held naturally straight and your hands resting lightly on your legs with the palms down, begin the movement by relaxing your abdominal muscles and breathing slowly into the stomach. After your stomach is filled with air, continue breathing, expanding the ribcage and filling your chest with air as well. Hold here for a brief moment, then slowly exhale--first the air from your chest then the air from your stomach. Keep your eyes closed throughout with your facial muscles fully relaxed. Practice this after you become familiar with the belly breathing exercise, and use this movement for at least five minutes per day.
Considerations
It will be difficult to relax fully if you are under any kind of external stress. Conduct your breathing exercises in a well-lit (but not too bright) room with the door shut and all possible distractions minimized. Turn off the television, radio, and silence your cellular phone for the time being. In addition to eliminating external stress, relaxation demands that you minimize internal stress as well. Try to focus your mind on the breathing and do not let stray thoughts interfere. While the benefits from this type of training accrue slowly, you should notice how light and refreshed you feel after practicing within a few weeks of starting your training.
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