Finding Your Ease

The energising breath

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Often, and especially at Yoga, we talk about breathing patterns to calm us down, to help us to relax, to unwind. But we can use the breath to engerize, too. I tend to use it at times when I feel tired after a bad night sleep, struggling with jet lag or when I feel exhausted during a work out. It is kind of a quick-fix!

There are several “energising breaths” out there but here I will share my to “go-to” versions.

Attention:  Some breathing exercises may cause dizziness to some people, especially when new to it, or exhausted. If you start to feel dizzy – stop immediately and return to normal breathing!
Do not practise breathing exercises with a cold or when you encounter any other breathing discomfort!

Quick short breathing

  • Inhale normal (not actively) so that the muscles in the chest are relaxed, preferably through the nose
  • Exhale through the mouth with a quick, short exhalation, the upper chest will compress a bit
  • The inhalation will be longer than the exhalation (so an opposite to the relaxation breath!)
  • Depending on how I feel I repeat this quick breathing 10-20 times

I tend to use this breathing during exercise, when I need to get some energy back during a run and such.

Another one is the “Rapid Breath of Fire”. It is a good one to use when you sit comfortable, and need a “pick me up” while you work, study or simply have to go on with the day.

  • Sit comfortable, if you can try to sit tall
  • Relax the stomach muscles
  • Try to keep breathing in and out through the nose only, so keep the mouth closed
  • Inhale deeply through the nose
  • Exhale through the nose
  • Then begin to breathe faster, rapidly in and out
  • Focus on the navel area and pump that area in and out with each breath, pushing the belly button towards the spine with each quick exhalation
  • Repeat 5-15 times

The breath will be shallow to be quick.
Try to keep the in- and exhalation equally fast.

 

Wishing you a lovely day,

AK

 

 

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