For the 14th episode of Wellness Angel Channel last Tuesday, I discussed how breathing can change your life.
But first, let me ask. How do you breathe? Are you breathing properly?
Like at every start of my podcast, I always ask our viewers to take deep breaths from their bellies to help them focus on the present. In this episode, I briefly talked about this article about breathwork from the Guardian entitled “How to Take the Perfect Breath” which was published in August 2020.
Basically, breath work has its benefits:
Better sleep
Brings you to the present moment. Practice mindfulness
Improve digestion
Builds the immune system
Lessens anxiety
Lowers blood pressure
I also shared my observations and experiences as a coach about breathing. I noticed that most of my students are not breathing properly. So how do we check if we are breathing properly?
Here is a simple way.
First, straighten your back, keep your shoulders squared, and your chin parallel. Just make sure your airways are open.
Next, put one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
Then start breathing. Be mindful as you breathe in and out.
Observe which part is expanding and contracting as you breathe.
If you notice that your chest is the one rising, it means you’re not breathing properly.
I also shared a few breathwork techniques we can apply in most situations. First is the 4-7-8 breathing technique by Dr. Wiles. Back in 2019, I often experience panic attacks. This technique helped me a lot. It helped me collect myself first before I face an unruly person or someone I don’t get along with well.
So if you need a bit of a boost before you face something nerve-wracking such as an important meeting or public speaking, here’s how to do the 4-7-8 technique.
Inhale through your nose for 4 counts
Hold your breath for 7 counts
Exhale through your mouth for 8 counts
Repeat the cycle four times
If needed, you can repeat the full cycle after 10 minutes to avoid dizzy spells for holding your breath
I also shared the alternative nose breathing technique called Nadi Shodhana, a popular Pranayama among yogis. It aims to cleanse your energy, remove toxins, and bring balance to both sun (right) and moon (left) sides of the body. I demonstrated the hand position and how to breathe through you each nostril alternately for balance.
You can do this technique anytime and anywhere. If you feel sleepy during the day, you can use this technique to power up your right (sun) energy channel. This is to wake you up. Then if you want better sleep quality, boost your left (moon) energy channel to get some ZZZs! Think of it as a life hack!
If you want to catch up on this episode, you can access it on my Facebook page: @wellnessangel. You can also join our wellness tribe so you can enjoy sessions, interact with others, and learn habits toward a fulfilling life journey!
Love and light!
