How many times, in a difficult situation, we tend to hold the breath without realizing it? And this happens always when we really need more energy and oxygen. And how many times we breathe superficially? These techniques of breathing that we’ll see today may help us bring back the attention on breath, calm the mind, remove the anxiety and keep at bay the blood pressure, as well as increase lung capacity.
The first exercise can be done during walking, possibly in a non-polluted place. Inhale for 6 steps, then hold your breath for 6 steps and then exhale, again for 6 steps. Go on breathing normally and then you can repeat the sequence.
Another exercise to boost up energy and the lung capacity is a pranayama technique that is based on interrupted breathing. This means that you should do 4 quick inhalations, each interrupted by a little break, then 4 exhalations, each interrupted by a little break. Start with a few sequences of this pranayama then, with time, you can increase the number of the sequences.
Alternate nostril breathing is a well known and beneficial pranayama, studied also by science that has demonstrated its calming action on mind and blood pressure. Bend the index finger and the middle finger of the right hand on the palm of the hand. Then, with the thumb of the right hand close the right nostril and inhale with the left nostril for 4 seconds, then open the right nostril and close with the ring finger the left nostril, exhale for 8 seconds, again from right nostril inhale for 4 seconds, then close it and exhale from left nostril for 8 seconds, go on in this way.
