Have you noticed if you breathe into your throat or are you able to take deep breaths and send your breath to the back of your ribs, inhaling and exhaling fully?
Neither is right or wrong! This question is about bring your awareness into your breathing and the quality of your inhale and your exhale.
Generally speaking, when you breathe into your throat with a shallow breathe, this can indicate less oxygen is flowing to your brain. What this means is if you are constantly breathing with a shallow breath is you are putting your body and brain under pressure and your body has to work harder to nourish your cells, tissues and organs with oxygenated blood. Read Low Blood Oxygen Levels: Causes, Symptoms and Your Health for more information about how a lack of oxygen can have an adverse reaction on your body and mind. E.g. Not enough oxygen can lead to dizziness, feeling faint or restless.
When you feel yourself starting to experience stress and breathing feels laboured, or feel faint or dizzy or restless in a yoga class or off the mat in the world, as best you can, come back to an even inhale and exhale.
This belly breathing exercise comes in to help to breathe a bit deeper and find an even state of mind cos your body is getting enough oxygen in your brain.
– Settle in a comfortable seat or lay on your spine 🧘🏾♀️
– Bring your left palm to your heart✌
– Right palm to your belly 💪🏿
– Notice your palms move as you draw your breath in and exhale 🌿
– Bring awareness to your right palm as your belly moves with your inhale, draw your attention to your ribs expanding and heart lifting as you inhale 💕
– Bring awareness into your left palm over your heart as you exhale, notice ribs lower and right palm move at the end of your exhale 💙
Repeat 3 – 5 x rounds.
Start with doing this exercise once a week and increase to 3 times a week and eventually increase to 5 minutes and go from there.
Let me know how you go or any questions! ☺