20/11/2020
🎨 ✨Did you know that the breath can affect how we feel? As the breath and heart rate are intrinsically linked, breathing is a natural response to our state of mind and/or the activity we are performing. When the breath is shallow, it hinders the flow of life force.
When we inhale, our heart beats faster, and it slows down as we exhale.
To induce a state of calmness or soothe your anxiety, it's more effective to exhale first. Without exhaling fully, excess carbon dioxide remains stuck in the lungs, taking up valuable space that could instead be filled with oxygen. Our lungs will detect a shortage of oxygen, causing an inhale. This sets in motion a cycle of inhaling more but still not getting enough oxygen, which causes shallow breathing and holding your breath.
When trying to control your breathing, I invite you to exhale first. Exhaling first creates a sense of letting go and surrendering to the moment. This allows air to easily flow in and out, exhaling CO2 and filling your lungs with oxygen, achieving Optimal Breath.
- Try putting your hands on the sides of your ribs, gently push your ribs down and in a little as you exhale.
- Let go and expel the CO2 inside you by blowing it out until you feel you've emptied out your lungs.
- Let your lungs spring open when you inhale.
- Try to lengthen your spine and not to collapse your whole torso while exhaling.
On the contrary, when doing activation/energizing breathing exercises, beginning on an inhale could be beneficial. Give both a try and see which way you prefer!
