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Newborns naturally breathe through just their noses. Children later learn to breathe through their mouths, generally as the result of some stressful situation obstructing breathing through their noses.
Most adults breathe very shallowly, using just their chest muscles. This only fills the middle and upper parts of their lungs. Nose breathing, using your abdominal muscles, is the most natural, effective and efficient way to breathe. It fills more of your lungs, provides more air and, subsequently, more oxygen with each breath.
The easiest way to (re)learn proper breathing is to practice the following:
- 1. Inhale normally through your nose.
- 2. As you breathe out through your nose, slightly tighten your throat as if you are lightly snoring.
- 3. Notice that you must contract your abdominal muscles to make the 'snoring' sound during your exhale. The tighter you contract your stomach muscles with each exhale, the more resonant the snoring sound. As long as you can make this sound, proper breathing will occur.
- 4. Once you can make this sound with a shallow breath, increase the depth of each breath while making a quality, resonant snoring sound with each exhale. You can also do this on each inhale.
- 5. Practice every chance you get while lying down, sitting, or walking. When it becomes very easy, use this type of breathing, especially during each exhale, during your regular exercise time.
Note: Obviously, once you master this type of abdominal-nose breathing, you may wish to omit the snoring sound, especially in public.
Power Breathing
- 1. On your back with knees bent and a folded towel or ball squeezed between your knees.
- 2. 'Hiss' out as you curl up partially.
- 3. 'Cough' air out and contract your Abs tighter at the end.
- 4. Repeat Standing.
Lymphatic Breathing
Use the following excercise to improve lymph flow as well as overall energy and immune function.
- 1. Lie on your back.
- 2. As you inhale, bring your chin up and tilt your head and neck back.
- 3. At the same time, point your feet down and away from you.
- 4. At full inhalation, hold for a count of three and begin to slowly exhale.
- 5. While exhaling, move your chin down without raising your head or shoulders.
- 6. At the same time, bend your feet up toward your head.
- 7. Reach full exhalation at the same time your chin is all the way down.
- 8. Repeat for one minute at least once every day.
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