4 exercises to breathe better

If breathing is natural, breathing well is far from innate. However, calm and deep breathing oxygenates the brain and tissues, allows you to better manage stress, sleep well and even control pain! Here are 4 exercises to improve your breath.

1- MORE CONCENTRATED THANKS TO THE STRAW

With this exercise, you learn to inhale but above all to exhale calmly and to empty the air from your lungs. And to better control the flow of his breath. The more you train, the easier it becomes to lengthen your exhalation without forcing.

- Standing or sitting , back straight, take a straw and place it in front of your mouth.

- Inhale first slowly through your nose, very gently, as if to gently breathe in the scent of a flower or perfume.

- Wait 1 second, then exhale through your half-open mouth, blowing gently into the straw, as if to rekindle an ember. Feel the belly grow as you go.

- At the end of the exhale, slightly contract the abdominals to empty the lungs as completely as possible.

- Wait 1 second and perform ten full breaths, trying to lengthen the exhalation as you go.

The advice: at the beginning, focus on the slowness of the breath. visualize the air coming in through the nose and out through the mouth while breathing as slowly as possible.

2- LESS STRESS WITH ABDOMINAL BREATHING

Knowing how to breathe through your belly (like babies) is essential for relaxation. But this often goes against our natural breathing which is often done from the "top", that is to say by inflating only the chest, which considerably reduces our breathing capacity... Too bad!

-  Standing, head and back straight, shoulders relaxed, spread your legs the width of your pelvis.

- Place the back of one hand flat on the lower back (at lumbar level) and the palm of the other hand on the lower abdomen (under the navel). Without moving, breathe naturally, without thinking, and observe the movements of the belly for a few moments.

- Begin by emptying the air from the lungs as much as possible by exhaling for a long time through the mouth (as in the “straw” exercise).

- Then inhale slowly and deeply through the nose, inflating the belly and feel that the hand placed on the belly is lifted.

- At the end of inspiration, pause for 1 second.

- Then breathe out slowly and deeply through your half-open mouth, slightly drawing your stomach in, as if to bring your navel closer to your spine.

- At the end of the expiration, pause for 1 second.

- Start again , trying to find a regular rhythm so that inspiration and expiration are of the same duration (for example, inhale over 3 beats and exhale over 3 beats).

- Repeat about ten times, several times a day.

Tip: this exercise is sometimes easier in a lying position. then place one hand below the navel and the other above. once the technique has been mastered, try to slow down the breathing.

3- CONTROL YOUR BREATH WITH AIR RETENTION

This exercise helps to control your breath and to become aware of each stage of breathing.

Staying in apnea (holding the air in the lungs) for a short time between an inspiration and an expiration is beneficial: it can help to keep a slow breathing rate.

 - Standing, back straight, shoulders relaxed, spread your legs hip-width apart. Place your hands on your lower abdomen, just below the navel.

- Begin by emptying the air well from the lungs by exhaling for a long time (as in the “straw” exercise).

- Inhale through your nose for 3 counts.

- Stay in apnea by keeping the air on 2 times.

- Exhale very slowly through your mouth ajar for 6 counts.

- Stay in apnea for 2 strokes.

- Breathe normally 1 or 2 times and repeat the exercise.

- Repeat 3 times with 1 or 2 normal breaths between each cycle.

The advice : at the beginning, if necessary, adapt the rhythm to your breathing: the exhalation will lengthen little by little without forcing. once the exercise has been mastered, breathe through your nose.

4- MORE BREATHING CAPACITY WITH THE COMPLETE

This exercise oxygenates to the maximum, softens the rib cage, tones the abs and improves posture. It's a great stress reliever.

 

- Standing, back straight, shoulders relaxed, spread your legs hip-width apart.

- Place one hand on the lower abdomen and the other on the chest, just below the collarbones.

- Start by emptying the air from the lungs as much as possible by exhaling for a long time (as in the “straw” exercise).

- Inhale slowly while inflating the belly, then the bottom of the rib cage (the ribs deviate slightly), then the upper part of the thorax (the torso bulges out and the shoulders open slightly).

- Exhale slowly , first emptying the stomach (by slightly contracting the abdominal muscles), then the rib cage (the ribs tighten slightly), then the upper part of the thorax (the torso lowers slightly).

- Repeat 3 to 5 times , several times a day.

The advice: once this breathing is well controlled, lengthen the exhalation so that it is two or even three times longer than the inspiration.