When you don’t know what to do just breathe!

When you don’t know what to do just breathe!

Everyday we are bombarded by so much stimuli.  As a classroom teacher, singer and personal trainer I have noticed that life gets so busy I forget to breathe.  Breathing helps our muscles relax. You’ll find it’s difficult to maintain a lot of physical tension when you are breathing properly .  When you regularly practice deep breathing the following things happen.   Oxygen delivery improves every system in the body. Your blood pressure lowers.  Endorphins are released  which improves feelings of well-being and provides pain-relief.  Detoxification improves and  cleanses the body and allows it to direct its energy to more productive functions. Here are some breathing techniques I have implemented in my own classroom and with myself in stressful everyday situations.

478

Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 and slowly let out for 8.

Darth Vader

Breather in through nose and out with mouth making Darth Vader noises.

Bubble Breathing

Take 3 shallow breaths with one long in and out breath

Candles

Pretend you are making a breath before blowing out candles.  Put your fingers together as you inhale and out as you blow out the candles.

Bunnies

Take light quick breaths in quick succession

Bear

1,23 in and out and growl as you let it out.

Elephant

Take a deep breath as you let it put your neck and head down and reach out your hands to the floor.

Bumble

Bee  Nose and fingers in ears and make bee sound

Alternating Nose Breathing

Put your fingers on your  side of your nose and hold as you breathe in.  Take one finger and let it out and then in again.  Hold and then alternate your breathing and fingers.

5 Finger Breathing

Count as you take in breaths and out.

I have found that when you incorporate deep breathing into the ordinary and extra ordinary events in your life amazing things happen.  Remember to

focus on every part of your body as you breathe in and out.  For those in pain focus on that part and see how the breath eases your pain.  I also pray for that concern or what is troubling me as well.  When you deep breath your way to peace amazing things happen not only for yourself but all those around you as you teach them another way to respond to the world.