BREATHING
I know, why a separate page dedicated to breathing, when it is something that we do without thinking, from the moment of birth until the time our physical bodies die? The key phrase is "without thinking."
​
Throughout our lives, breathing is a natural reflex, not something we do with intention. The miracles of anatomy and physiology (and as a biochemist I don't say "miracles" lightly) see to it that we never have to think about breathing, unless we choose to.
​
As it turns out, when we choose to complement our natural reflexive breathing with intentional, focused breathing, many positive benefits have been reported, and include reduced anxiety, lower blood pressure, slower heart rate, improved sleep, less pain, and improved concentration. You can refer to this WebMD source for more detail.
THE CALMING BREATH
There are many techniques that can be found on line which help bring discipline to intentional breathing. One that I use was developed by a brilliant physician, Dr. Andrew Weil. He calls it 4-7-8 breathing, and the technique is based on exercises from pranayama, which is the ancient yogic practice of controlling your breath.
Dr. Weil refers to it as a "natural tranquilizer for the nervous system."
​
4-7-8 breathing involves positioning your tongue against the front roof of your mouth, breathing in through the nose for a count of four, holding that breath for a count of seven, and exhaling through the mouth for a count of eight (making a “whoosh” sound).
​
You can practice 4-7-8 breathing anywhere and at any time. When you're first learning, try to practice at least twice a day, but you can do it as often as you want. Only do it for four cycles in a row in the beginning. After you get used to it, you can work up to eight cycles. You might feel lightheaded at first, but this will pass.
​
Before trying the 4-7-8 breath, watch its creator demonstrate the right way to do it, in the video, below.
Click below to download a short brief I created on the importance of breathing.
