The One Exercise Essential: Deep Breathing

April 6, 2009

Stretching is a great motion that makes you feel great.

No matter what the exercise regimen, deep breathing is essential to good health.

It all starts and ends with deep breathing. It’s not possible to overstate the importance of breathing deeply and holding that breath, and then releasing that air fully before taking another deep inhale.

After you have completed the bounce and shake exercise (described in detail in yesterday’s article) you are ready to do ten to twenty minutes of gentle to moderate exercise. Most low intensity exercises, yoga, tai chi, and others, will assist you in breathing more deeply while gently flexing your spine.

Healthy brain chemistry is rooted in maintaining a free flow of cerebral spinal fluid. Sitting for long periods of time, be that at the office in a chair, while driving a car or commuting on a bus or train, or relaxing in front of the TV at night, restricts the flow of this all important fluid.

When you take the time to flex the spine in the morning, while doing a deep breathing routine, your spinal fluid begins to move like a pure mountain stream instead of stagnating like a murky pond. But remember, whatever form of stretching and exercise you enjoy take the time as part of your routine to sustain a constant breath in and out to the count of five seconds and follow these three types of breathing: head, chest, and abdomen.

1. Head breathing. This requires inhaling and exhaling through your nose while you focus on filling and then clearing your nasal passages. With each inhale, slightly lift your head up as if to look at the ceiling or sky. On the exhale let your head come back down as if you are looking slightly below the horizon. This range of motion is very subtle, between two and four inches. Remember to try to breath in to the count of five and out to the count of five. You’ll probably find your deepest inhale at first will take you as high as a count of three or four, but within days of starting this routine your inhale and exhale will reach a count of five.

2. Chest breathing. Now you will again inhale and exhale through your nose, but you’ll shift your focus to filling your lungs while expanding your ribs outward. During chest breathing heighten your focus by making a slight low sound with your throat as if you were gently snoring. Throughout your time doing chest breathing try to maintain a steady volume of air going into your lungs and coming back out. Continue this as your continue your moderate exercise routine and continue to maintain a five count in and a five count out.

3. Abdomen breathing. This is done during a moderate to intense period of your morning workout. In this third and final breathing routine, you will inhale through your nose and push the air out through your mouth gently pursing your lips as you do. Once again, shift your focus, this time to feeling the air rushing into you as you fill your abdomen.

In each of these three forms of breathing, maintaining the consistent rhythm that you establish with a five count in and a five count out is very important. It all sounds simple, but just like learning a new dance step, or balancing on a bike for the very first time, it’s going to take some getting use to. But it is most certainly worth it. When deep breathing is done with any exercise routine you will stimulate the healthy brain chemistry that can make a very noticeable difference in the level of vitality you maintain as you go about your day.

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