Simple deep breathing exercises can provide a multitude of health benefits
Breathing is a universal energy that is the basis for creation and life. Even our planet breathes as atmospheric levels of oxygen increase and decrease with the seasonal production and consumption of oxygen by plant life. Although we are not always consciously aware of our breathing patterns, it is an essential part of our existence. Not only do we need it to live, it is said that breathing is the link that bonds body, mind and soul. Here are some of the benefits of deep breathing:
- Psychical Health. Deep breathing oxygenates the body providing a multitude of health benefits. These can include improved detoxification, cellular growth, weight loss, stamina, and heart health to name but a few.
- Relaxation. Deep breathing exercises have been shown to have therapeutic effects including dramatically decreasing stress and anxiety in many people.
- Increased Awareness. Not only does deep breathing improve oxygen levels in the brain and mental clarity, it can also make us much more aware of our bodies and our selves.
- Spiritual Growth. Deep breathing has long been an essential element to meditation, enlightenment and spirituality. It is also an integral part of psychic meditation and psychic development.
Unfortunately though, most of us do not pay enough attention to our breathing patterns. We tend to breathe shallowly or inconsistently as we go about our daily lives. There are many reasons for this including the environments we place ourselves in, stress or psychical illness, or, sadly, just a general lack of a conscious awareness about our bodies and our selves.
If this sounds like it may apply to you then you may be glad to learn that basic breath work is easy to do and can be done just about anywhere you choose. Even taking a few minutes each day to slowly inhale and exhale while at your desk can often do wonders for relieving stress or lifting your mood.
There are many physical benefits as well. For one, deep breathing has been shown to stimulate the body’s Parasympathetic Nervous System which produces the hormones that our bodies and organs require to perform a number of essential functions. Deep breathing can also help us to purge toxins and waste through our lungs as we exhale. For those of us who want to lose a few extra pounds, deep breathing is thought to be able to increase our metabolic rates as well. This is because our muscle cells require oxygen in order to burn fat both during and after we exercise.
If you want to learn more about specific deep breathing techniques there are many great resources available to you. These range from simple breath exercises you can do while watching television to advanced techniques such as transcendental meditation. It is probably best to start with the easier exercises first and then slowly work your way to the more advanced techniques as it suits your lifestyle and comfort level. The objective is to find the one technique that works best for you.