Take a breath
By harnessing the power of your breathing, you can do everything from cutting stress to falling asleep in 60 seconds or less, says Stuart Sandeman
We do it all day, every day, but we rarely think about how we breathe. Yet harnessing its power can help improve sleep, boost energy levels and enhance mental health, as well as aiding digestion and recovery from exercise.
What’s more, it’s free, you can do it any time, and it can give results in as little as 60 seconds.
“Taking control of our breathing can help us in so many aspects of our lives, and anyone can give it a go,” says breathwork practitioner Stuart Sandeman, who has more than 50,000 followers on Instagram.
Here, Stuart explains how to tap into the life-changing benefits of breathwork.
Notice your breath
Take a minute to pause, close your eyes and notice how you’re breathing.
Watch and feel how you’re breathing – is it through your nose or your mouth? Does your belly expand first or does your chest? Is there any tension in your body? Are you breathing quickly?
Make a mental note.
Take a belly breath
When we take a deep breath, the diaphragm is pushed downwards, pushing out the belly. However, when we breathe into our chest it’s a shorter, shallower breath, which sets off alarm bells in the body, creating a stress response.
A belly breath is slower and helps the body unwind. It puts us in a natural state of calm, so try breathing into your abdomen for 60 seconds.
Breathe out
If in doubt, breathe it out. If you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, it’s harder to use the part of the brain that allows us to come up with solutions.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, breathe in for a count of four through your nose, feeling your belly rise.
Hold it for four counts, then breathe out for a count of eight. You’ll start to feel the effect within seconds, as it flicks the body’s “off switch” and tells the body that everything is OK.
One round will help, but do it for a minute to get best results.
Navy SEAL breath
Navy SEALS use this technique before going into a hostile environment. And it can help prepare the mind and body for challenging situations, such as an important phone call or a meeting.
With this type of breathing, the in breaths and out breaths are equal, so it balances the nervous system and the chemistry in the body.
First, breathe in for a count of four, then hold the breath for four, breathe out for four and hold for four. Do this for a minute.
Breathe yourself to sleep
This exercise increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the body, which helps us to feel drowsy and drop off to sleep.
It’s a useful one to do when you go to bed, or if you wake in the middle of the night and can’t nod off again. Start by breathing in through your nose for four counts, allowing your belly to rise, then hold the breath for seven counts, before letting it out through your mouth for eight counts.
Feel your whole body become relaxed and heavy as you do this for one minute.
Energy booster
Instead of reaching for yet another cup of coffee, why not try an energising breath?
This will help flick the “on switch” in the body, giving a much-needed boost. Breathe in through your nose, into your belly for half a breath, then into your chest for a half breath. Then breathe out fully. Repeat this 16 times.
If you’re feeling light-headed, stop and let your breathing return to its normal rhythm.
As it activates the body’s stress response, take advice from a doctor before trying this if you have heart problems or are pregnant.
Get ready to eat
When we feel stressed, the body doesn’t digest food properly, which can lead to weight problems and digestive issues over time.
Do this to relax your body and get into the optimal state for eating a meal.
First, breathe in through your nose for five counts, feeling your belly rise, then breathe out through your mouth for a count of 15, letting your whole body relax. Do three repetitions of this.
■■ Breathe In, Breathe Out: Restore Your Health, Reset Your Mind and Find Happiness Through Breathwork by Stuart Sandeman is available now