A Couple of Minutes of Breath Control can Improve Your Physical and Emotional Health

A couple of minutes of breath control can improve your physical and emotional health. It can boost energy, calm anxiety when needed, and help you focus on preparing for the day ahead.

Breathing is the most vital body function because it supplies oxygen to the body’s tissues and removes carbon dioxide, a waste product of cellular metabolism. Oxygen is necessary for the production of energy through a process called cellular respiration, which occurs in the mitochondria of cells. Without oxygen, cells cannot produce enough energy to sustain life.

Breathing also helps regulate the body’s pH levels by controlling the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood. When we exhale, we release carbon dioxide from the body, which helps to maintain the proper acid-base balance. If the body’s pH levels become too acidic or alkaline, it can have severe consequences on various bodily functions and even be life-threatening.

Additionally, breathing plays a role in regulating heart rate and blood pressure. When we inhale, our heart rate increases slightly; when we exhale, our heart rate decreases slightly. This helps to regulate blood flow throughout the body and maintain stable blood pressure.

Breathing for Relaxation

Breathing can have a relaxing effect on the body because it helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body’s “rest and digest” response. This response is the opposite of the sympathetic nervous system, which triggers the “fight or flight” response in stressful situations.

When we take slow, deep breaths, it can help to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and decrease the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. This, in turn, can help to lower heart rate and blood pressure, reduce muscle tension, and decrease levels of stress hormones like cortisol.

Focused breathing techniques, such as diaphragmatic breathing, can help to increase mindfulness and relaxation. These techniques involve focusing on the sensation of the breath as it moves in and out of the body, which can help to quiet the mind and reduce feelings of anxiety and stress.

Overall, breathing can relax the body because it helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system and decrease activity in the sympathetic nervous system. Additionally, focused breathing techniques can help increase mindfulness and reduce anxiety and stress.

The Breath Control Technique Elite Soldier’s Practise

The U.S. Navy Seals practice expiration/inhalation patterns to decrease anxiety in high-stress situations. Most of us will never face the life-and-death situations special ops soldiers face. However, life can be difficult and throw curve balls that generate stressful conditions.

The following technique, developed for U.S. Navy Seals, is a quick and simple breathing exercise.

1. Begin your breath-work by inhaling while counting to four.
2. Hold your breath for four counts.
3. Exhale for four counts.
4. Hold for four counts after exhaling.
5. Repeat.

As you hold your breath after the inhale, your lungs and body absorb the oxygen from the air. The hold after the exhale allows your body to prepare for the coming fresh air. This process will also improve your lung capacity and let you take deeper breathes throughout the day, boosting oxygen saturation.

In a Nutshell

• All of these are associated with increased energy, and focusing on your breathing improves your focus while quieting the distracting thoughts that frequently occur.
• Breathing can relax the body because it helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system and decrease activity in the sympathetic nervous system.
• Focused breathing techniques can help increase mindfulness and reduce anxiety and stress.
• Oxygen is your most precious resource; you will expire in minutes without it. Utilizing it smartly can serve your state of consciousness and well-being.