Do you ever think about your breathing; the way you breathe? Is it something you don’t consciously think about, even though unconsciously you trust your body to keep you breathing? Maybe the only time you pay attention to the way you breathe is when you’re having difficulty drawing breath. I’ve been made aware of the fact that I routinely breathe shallowly and there are many times during the day, if I’m stressed for example, when I hold my breath!

I’ve recently been lucky enough to attend a course held in the depths of the rainforests of Costa Rica; the air being very clean and regularly cleansed by abundant rainfall. My experience of spending time in the rainforest was fantastic to say the least! Not without coincidence; whilst rainforests are often called the ‘lungs of the planet’, during my stay my attention was continually being drawn to the breath, which in turn became the inspiration for this article!

What are the benefits of ‘healthy’ breathing? Breathing is our life-force and clearly affects every single one of the trillion cells in our body. Not only does breathing in bring oxygen to our cells, when we exhale we release and clear carbon dioxide; a waste product of our bodies. All organs and tissue relish being bathed in plenty of oxygen – just think of the money spent on oxygen tents for top flight sports people to accelerate recovery from injuries. When we breathe more freely we have more energy. It may seem an obvious statement though the benefits of healthy breathing are endless!

We actually have within us a phenomenal tool to assist us to a more calm and contented place. If you’re drawn to improving your breath I suggest you start checking in with your breathing at various times during the day. If you note you are shallow breathing take a few deep breaths, drawing the breath down into your tummy. When you are getting stressed, under pressure, or life is generally demanding, just stop and take a breath or two. Maybe start the day with taking five minutes to sit comfortably and breathe. Take in breath over a count of seven, hold for one, and sigh out for a count of seven. If that’s a bit uncomfortable for you, decrease the count to start with. Better breathing, better health, clearer mind!

For more information, an informal chat (always happy to discuss), or to find out more about the modalities I offer to help bring ease and joy in the body, please get in touch.
Ann Rambaut, Chartered Physiotherapist
01323 411900 or 07436 810181 annrambaut.com