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1. Breathe Right
Living in a stressful society that doesn’t have a pause button has caused us to become more and more conscious of our well-being. We want to relax, to take care of ourselves, but we often forget the one vital element to achieving this state: better breathing! Headaches, insomnia, stress, lack of concentration and lack of energy are just some of the problems that may be caused by improper breathing methods. Find out how to breathe better with our tips and a few simple exercises. Do you breathe correctly? Breathing is a continuous action that happens naturally, so it is perfectly normal to not constantly stop and think of how you go about it. To check if you’re breathing correctly, place your hands on either sides of your thoracic cage, right beneath the breasts. Inhale deeply. If you don’t feel your hands lift, that means you’re not breathing in the correct fashion, or that you’re not breathing to your lungs’ full capacity. 6 tips for better breathing Simply think about it! The simple act of thinking of how you’re breathing will allow you to do it correctly. Give yourself 30 minutes or two 15-minute breaks during the day to pause, relax and breathe properly. Sit up straight. It is often bad posture that makes a person breathe incorrectly. By keeping your body straight, your lungs will open up and you’ll be able to breathe in deeper. Lengthen your breaths. Breathing slower can have an impact on the way you feel. By slowing your breathing down, you’ll be more calm and in control. So breathe in for three counts, pause for one count, and breathe out for six more counts. Use your nose. A proper breath is done by inhaling from the nose and exhaling from the mouth. Breathing in by the nose forces one to do so gently, and allows the nasal hairs to filter any inhaled particles. Exhaling from the mouth facilitates the release of oxygen that has been transformed into carbon dioxide. Don’t forget to breathe out! Breathing isn’t only about inhaling, and we sometimes forget the significance of exhaling completely. It is important to do so, as we need to clear out recycled air from the lungs and rid them of carbon dioxide. So think hard and make an effort to empty your lungs out completely before inhaling again. Practice alternate breathing. It is said that our nostrils are each connected to different parts of the brain; the left to the part that controls relaxation, and the right to the area that controls alertness. If you feel stressed throughout the day, block your right nostril with your thumb and take five to 10 deep breaths with your left nostril to calm and relax you. To stimulate mental alertness and give yourself an energy boost, repeat the exercise with the opposite nostril. |
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I'm an evening gym goer, but I know that it sometimes isn't the best move before bed...adrenaline, anyone?! My favourite way to unwind is to slowly stretch out while taking some deep breaths. Thanks for reminding us how important proper breathing can be in maintaining balance in a busy life! -
Breathing correctly is SO important and enough people don't do it. This article is a breath of fresh air. Thanks, Myreille! -
Alternate breathing; who knew? I'm going to start that today.
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Do any of you have one of these? Any Mom's out there with opinions on whether or not this item is all it's cracked up to be? I'd love to know! -
My sister used this for her son when he was just a couple months old and he loved it. My nephew is 17 months old now so he doesn't need it any longer but it was great for when he did. I was at their place to witness him in the seat and he did seem to enjoy being able to sit upright. My sister-in-law also had one of these for her son and she said the trick may be to put them in the Bumbo as soon as they can support their own head.
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yeah i agree with Suzylee
the alternate breathing is cool. -
Thank you this is great and I needed to read this like um' yesterday. lol Thanks! -
I quit smoking with the alternate breathing...
this
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