Breathe In, Bliss Out
Pause for a minute… Take one big inhale that expands in your belly. Hold it for a few seconds. Now exhale deeply.
Congratulations, you’ve just engaged in breathwork, an ancient practice often incorporated when partaking in mindfulness-based activities such as yoga and meditation. But there’s a lot more to it than simply just breathing in and out. With recent research validating the powerful benefits it can have on both our mental and physical health, it’s no wonder that breathwork has started to gain significant popularity and traction. Still sceptical of whether or not you should be doing it too? We’re here to explore exactly why you should!
It provides almost immediate stress relief: That’s because deep and rhythmic breathing automatically activates our body’s parasympathetic nervous system, which in turn slows our heart rate, lowers our blood pressure and reduces our overall cortisol levels - initiating a direct halt on feelings of anxiety and stress.
It boosts energy & focus: With most of our body’s cells requiring oxygen to produce energy, it only makes sense that the way in which we breathe affects how alive and alert we feel. Shallow and improper breathing and the subsequent imbalance of O2 and CO2 that comes with it for example, will therefore directly influence our feelings of sluggishness, fogginess and even chronic fatigue.
It can help improve your sleep: Deep breathing before bed can be incredibly powerful in quieting our minds and calming our nervous system, simulating a relaxed state that’s ideal for reaching deeper levels of sleep. Not only that, but focusing on your breath in the minutes before you doze off means that you aren’t focusing on external stressors and other distractions.
Practice anywhere, at any time, at absolutely no cost and with science to back it up - breathwork might just be the simple self-care technique we didn’t even realise we were missing. Looking to incorporate more breathing into your own personal routine? Why not try some of our favourite sessions from our very own Sudor apps and trainers!
Team Sudor