Breathing.

It’s something we do naturally and easily every second of the day, right? Well, actually research has shown that while the respiratory center of our brain is taking care of the messages and muscle contractions necessary to deliver oxygen to our entire body, most of us are actually not getting sufficient breaths – the kind required for optimal health and well-being.

So let’s take a look at what’s going on here.

Breathing is the intricate dance our bodies engage in, moving air by way of the diaphragm and other muscles into and out of the chest cavity.

Then there’s respiration – the exchanging of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs, releasing carbon dioxide in the air and delivering delicious o2 to the heart and eventually the rest of the body.

Now, the brain is in charge of our breathing rate – sending messages to the respiratory muscles on when to breathe, how to maintain the breathing itself and controlling the breathing pattern. All of this is done without us being aware of it at all. It is automatic and we are free to think about other things like Outlander, when to hop on to that Zoom meeting, and which child has swim practice tonight. However most of us are getting only a fraction of necessary air with every breath, depriving our bodies of much needed oxygen.

This is when we bring awareness into the picture.

“Better”, deeper breathing is linked to greater relaxation, increased energy, improved mood, mental clarity and better immune functioning but you pretty much knew that right? Most of us know to take “deep breaths” but struggle with getting it. We walk around a little bit (or a lot) like pressure cookers – reacting to all the danger (perceived or real) that we find around us. There is a pandemic to still deal with, concern and isolation among friends and family, strained school/work schedules, and who the heck is thinking about dinner tonight? Inevitably, unless we are able to release these threats, we walk around holding our breath all day, trying to quite literally save our own lives.

Here’s what we need to know when we find ourselves gasping for air as we attempt to “breathe deeply”: We need to breathe OUT first.

There are many articles and sites that can educate you on the different techniques for deep breathing (diaphragmatic aka “belly breathing”, the many variations of pranayama) but the number one rule in being able to get that coveted oxygen is to get rid of the carbon dioxide. Those of us “over thinkers” may now begin obsessing on how to properly exhale. Resist that urge. The best description I’ve found is to simply sigh as if someone has just annoyed you. It’s not forced; just a little sigh.

Practice it right now. No need to do anything else. Just sigh.

Once you’ve gotten comfortable exhaling this way before engaging in more conscious deep breathing, you will find that you can more easily expand your abdomen – to get that deeper breath. But for now, just practice the sigh.

Know that all mammals naturally breathe deeply and you will too – it is simply a matter of focusing on the exhale first and becoming relaxed enough for your body to respond this way. So, play with the many interesting exercises out there, but don’t forget: breathe out first.

To find out more about coaching and how it can help you find your breath (and your joy), please head *here* to connect. Peace, friends!