Breathe Stormfree

26/04/2024

Turn everyday moments into mindful adventures with conscious breathing. 🧘‍♀️

Meditation sometimes feels so difficult to do. It’s hyped up as an art form that only the well practiced can achieve. But the reality is that meditation is easy and accessible to everyone - simply tune into your breath, observe each inhale and exhale and let the magic unfold ✨ 🪄

18/04/2024

Stop scrolling and take 60 seconds and observe your breath…

I have put in brackets what your answer should be if you’re in a calm, relaxed state…

🌬️ Are you breathing fast or slow? (slow)

🌬️ Is your breathing loud or silent and inaudible? (silent)

🌬️Are you breathing through your nose or your mouth? (Only breathe through your nose)

🌬️ Are you gulping air or is there a steady rhythm? (Steady, consistent rhythm in and out)

🌬️ Are you belly, chest or shoulder breathing? (Belly breathing uses the diaphragm and gives you maximum lung function even at rest)

Breathing is an autonomic nervous function that should adjust when your nervous system is either in sympathetic or parasympathetic mode. But in today’s world, 24/7 stimuli added to daily stress starts building dysfunctional breathing habits.

So if you’re breathing fast, loudly or gulping air. If you’re breathing irregular patterns, breathing from the shoulders, snoring at night, and only breathing through your mouth & not your nose then I hate to break it to you - but you are probably a dysfunctional breather! Thankfully there’s an easy fix with simple breathing exercises.

Get in touch to find out how my 4 week 1-2-1 course can help you re-train your breathing for a much healthier and less stressful lifestyle.

09/03/2024

Are you a sceptic? Take a breather for five and have a read. ☺️

It's the only autonomic operation we can influence. Here's how to get started.

07/03/2024

Have you ever you read or listened to something that changed your world?

I’m a HUGE audible fan and it was about this time last year that I stumbled across “Breathe in, Breathe out” by Stuart Sandeman. I downloaded the book onto my phone, put in my AirPods, went on a long dog walk and became hooked!

Everything Stuart talked about resonated with me and in the following days I put into practice some of his suggested breathing exercises and the results spoke for themselves.

And as in most things I do; I had to investigate further. I read/listened more, experimented more, learned more and sought out the industry experts. From Buteyko to Somatic and from Wim Hof to Pranayama - I gained a basic understanding of all different versions of Breathwork. So entrenched into learning as much as I could about the breath I decided to go one step further, go all-in and train to become a coach and facilitator.

Roll on 12 months and here I am, offering breath coaching to my amazing clients as a side hustle and loving every minute! But it doesn’t stop there - this very week I have decided to go the next step and I have enrolled into the Instructor program to eventually be able to work within the fitness industry, be that for amateur or professional athletes. Roll on the study and exams 🖊️👩‍🎓 📚!!

So I couldn’t miss without referencing some of the most amazing books that I’ve read this last year:
* The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown
* Breath by James Nestor
* Just Breathe by Dan Brule

Have you ever read any of these? Or maybe you’ve also read a book that’s changed your life? Let me know, I’m always looking for good recommendations 📕 📖 📚.

02/03/2024

The balance of cold water swimming….

Those of us who are addicted to the endorphin rush that plunging into cold water gives you, will say that to the unconverted that it’s the best thing ever - it is! Those sat firmly on the bank think we’re nuts and to be honest, they’re probably not wrong there either!

But there is this dance; from plucking up the courage needed to go into icy waters where the cold feels like a thousand needles piercing your skin all at once. Followed by the endorphin rush of having actually achieved it, (aside from the physiological stress response at the time of entry).

Yet there is also this vulnerability; knowing that you have an individual time limit before the cold becomes dangerous and life threatening. And depending upon where you swim, the environmental factors that can affect a swim; wind, underwater obstacles, current, pollution, depth, waves, marine life or being alone (even if you have a spotter on the bank or shore).

Today, I’ll be doing that dance! The lake that I swim at is dedicated to swimming so all the safety elements will be ticked off but the vulnerability of swimming in deep, dark, ink black waters is very real for me. The temperature is hovering around the 7c so it’ll limit my personal time today to around 20 mins max (I swim in skins so no thermal wetsuit). It’ll take me real courage to even get in as the windchill is -1c!! But I’ll do it and know that I’ll feel amazing afterwards.

Anyone else swimming /cold plunging today? Or do you just think we’re all barmy?!? 🤪

29/02/2024

So damn proud of this! Starting out in any new venture is scary enough but despite all my training, the imposter syndrome is still very much present 🙈🙄.

Never underestimate the value of an honest review - not only does it give you, the potential client, an insight into your coach. But it also gives your coach invaluable feedback and in this case, a huge confidence boost!!! 😁. Thank you ☺️

🙏

27/02/2024

Every. Single. Minute.

Every single minute of every hour of every day until our very last breath.

(For our international followers, that’s just over 6 litres).

For the average adult, that volume is inhaled over 12-16 breaths per minute. And bear in mind that we breathe on average about 22,000 breaths a day, that’s a lot of air!!! (I had to work it out 🤣 - it’s 286,000 pints of air a day! 😅).

But notice that I say “AIR” and not “OXYGEN”. That’s because our air is made up of only 22% oxygen, 78% Nitrogen and the remaining is other mixed gases.

How does breathwork fit into this? Well we never deprive you of air but instead we help you slow down your breathing rate. We keep exactly the same amount of volume but breathe the air in only 4 - 6 breaths per minute. This slower rate of breathing helps to relax and calm you.

21/02/2024

Now OPEN for FREE Discovery Calls (online via Zoom). Link below! Just 20 mins 1-2-1 with myself to find out how Breathwork can help you.

Conscious Breathwork is a safe and fast way to relieve stress, boost digestion, improve sleep and balance your energy.

No experience of any kind is needed. I take a very simple, science-based approach that is effective for everyone.

Book now to discover how Conscious Breathwork can help you. If you don't see a convenient time displayed, then please contact me directly to book a mutually agreed time slot.
https://discoverybreath.youcanbook.me