Breathing is how we move air in and out of our lungs to allow the diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from our external environment into and out of our blood.

The breath also plays an important role in our speech, expression of our emotions e.g. laughing, crying, yawning etc. and self-supporting activities of coughing, hiccups and sneezing.

Of all the bodily survival activities that are controlled by the Autonomic Nervous System, breathing is one of the few that can be controlled both consciously and unconsciously.

Conscious control of breathing

It is common in meditation and yoga practice. In such disciplines as swimming in its various forms, singing and speech training, learning how to consciously breathe is very important in reaching high levels of performance.

Unconscious breathing

It is controlled by specialized centres in the brainstem which automatically regulate the rate and depth of breathing depending on the body’s needs at any time.

Nasal breathing provides a higher quality of air to the body due to its built-in filtering and warming system.

If a healthy person were to voluntarily stop breathing (i.e. hold their breath) for a long enough period, they would lose consciousness and the body would resume breathing on its own. Because of this, you cannot commit suicide with this method, unless your breathing was also restricted by something else.

We teach a very simple and powerful tool that can be used in an instant as a ‘stress buster’, it’s deep low and slow breathing. This process utilises the diaphragm and abdomen more and it encourage a more relaxed and confident mood. Practitioners of different disciplines often interpret the importance of breathing regulation and its perceived influence on mood in different ways.

Once people start using this practice they find it helps precipitate a sense of inner-peace and it encourages an overall state of enhanced wellbeing.

In any situation where you feel you maybe be ‘losing it’, whether at home with your partner or your children, or at times at work, or in any other area of your life, deep, low and slow breathing provides relief from stressful situations.

Too much stress from worrying or procrastination disrupts brain activity.

Re-set your brain…breathe, yawn and slow stretch in the same process for 6 seconds in, then for 6 seconds out. Repeat for 5 times in 60 seconds.

If you do this standing it will enhance your positive outcome even more.

P.S. If you’re feeling shit today, maybe just try to breath, stretch and yawn! Or why not try our quiz to determine if you’ve got your shit together.