– “Don’t forget…”
– “Forget what?” I remarked,
– “To breathe.” My brother in law chuckled and walked away. He taught me a valuable lesson through his jokes in relaxation.

Breathing seems intuitive and basic. In fact, it is one of the most simple and effective forms of relaxation that we often forget to do. But is breathing of good quality? Do you breathe well enough to support your body and mind and promote less stress? Imagine, breathing is a voluntary function and it’s your responsibility to remember to do it, finding time to do it and do it well. How would you rate your breathing then and most of all, how would your body and mind feel as a result?

One day, I felt exceptionally stressed out and overwhelmed. At one point, I sat down in front of my computer to answer an email, I yawned and almost immediately, my brother in law’s voice sounded off in my head, “Don’t forget…” I stopped and thought about breathing as an essential aide to relaxation. Then, took a few deep breaths and almost immediately felt more relaxed. Ever since, whenever I feel like I’m rushing, I hear his voice in my head and follow the cue to concentrate on breathing.

I’m guilty of not finding time to do any breathing exercises so I opt for quick, convenient and easy ways to do it while keeping long lasting effects in mind. I tweaked The Measured Breath technique (instructions below) and instead of breathing and counting to four, I breathe while counting to three or just concentrate on expanding my stomach while I inhale air. I do it as much as I can, with a goal to create a long lasting habit. This way, I don’t feel pressured to take some time out of my busy schedule to do breathing exercises.

I find when I remind myself to slow my breath down and my speech pattern slows down as well. I feel more relaxed and mindful of my surroundings. Other benefits of deep breathing include a reduction in stress and blood pressure, strengthening of abdominal and intestinal muscles for better nutrition absorption, increases energy and relieves body aches and pains. Breathing promotes better blood flow, releases toxins from the body and improves the quality of sleep.

I encourage my clients to do the same. I notice that my clients talk fast which often results in their inability to concentrate on their feelings and thoughts. I often use my brother in law’s joke, which for my clients just like me, is the cue to slow down and relax.

Tucker, M.D. (2014, February 1. Benefits of Deep Breathing. Retrieved from http://www.liverstrong.org

The Measured Breath Technique
Here’s how you do it:
▪ You can sit or stand, but be sure to soften up a little before you begin. Make sure your hands are relaxed, and your knees are soft.
▪ Drop your shoulders and let your jaw relax.
▪ Now breathe in slowly through your nose and count to four, keep your shoulders down and allow your stomach to expand as you breathe in.
▪ Hold the breath for a moment.
▪ Now release your breath slowly and smoothly as you count to seven.
▪ Repeat for a couple of minutes.