Mar 11

Mar 11 Take A Breath: My Four Go-To Breathing Techniques

Hi, I'm Liz Moser, a Mayo Clinic and National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach.

Breathe! Take a breath! We see mugs, t-shirts, and jewelry reminding us to slow down and breathe. On the one hand, maybe a little silly because our body unconsciously breathes for us. Right? We don’t really need to worry about it.

However, on the other hand, taking a moment or two to stop and deliberately regulate the breath through specific methods or practice a pranayama technique as the yogis call it is a quick and easy way to drop into our bodies get centered and grounded.

If you google pranayama or breathing techniques, you will discover many articles with a myriad of different practices. This blog is by no means a thorough list. It's simply my four favorite, simple go-to breathwork exercises. I use these often and these are what I recommend for my clients as well, when they need a quick de-stressor.

My first go-to breathing technique is so simple. Place one hand on your chest over your heart, and one hand on your stomach or both hands on your belly. Close your eyes if that feels comfortable. You can either sit or lie down and then feel your belly rise and fall as you breathe in and out.

You can inhale and exhale through the nose or breath in through the nose and out through the mouth. Your choice. Do that 5 or 10 times for a quick relaxor or up to several minutes for a more extended meditation. Its such a quick and easy way to drop into your body, and get centered.

Another breathwork practice is called square breathing. Try this sitting, standing, or while moving as a walking meditation. Again, it’s so straightforward. Breath in for a count of four, hold your breath for a count of 4, exhale for four and then hold for 4. Repeat. You may want your counts to be 5, 6, or 7. Find what works for you. It doesn’t really matter how slow or fast you do this. Just be consistent with your IN, HOLD, OUT, and HOLD. You can easily pair this with your strides as you do a walking meditation. Four strides as you inhale, four strides as you hold, four strides as you exhale, and four strides as you hold. Give that a shot. See what you think. Square breathing, so simple.

One more go-to is nadi shodhana pranayama or alternate nostril breathing which is said to center the mind. I like to do this either before meditation, before I sit down to write, or anytime I’m feeling scattered and need to focus. Place the pointer finger and middle finger of your right hand between your eyebrows or what the yogis call your third eye chakra. The third eye is said to allow for clear thought, spiritual connection, and self-reflection.

Close your right nostril with your thumb. Exhale and inhale through your left nostril. Pause at the top of the inhale. Then release the right nostril and close the left nostril with your ring finger. Then exhale and inhale through your right nostril. Hold a beat and then release the left nostril and continue exhaling and inhaling on one side and then the other.

Do this for 1 minute, 3 minutes, or up to 11 minutes. Afterward, let your right arm gently fall to your lap and breath in and out, feeling that beautifully integrated energy. Supposedly, now, your left and right brain are fully synchronized, and you’re firing on all cylinders. Afterward, I do feel clear-headed and focused. I love Nadi shodhana.

My last breathing technique is called 'breath of fire.' For me, ‘breath of fire’ is energizing, and centering.

All you need to do is stand or sit. Close your eyes if that’s possible and feels comfortable and then rapidly exhale forcefully through the nose with your mouth closed, pulling the belly in. Don’t think about the inhales. Let them happen naturally. And then it's exhale, exhale, exhale. In rapid succession, as you snap your belly. This breath warms the body and it's both calming and energizing. My yoga teacher often leads us in 'breath of fire' during yoga class, and I like to end my quick morning strength-stretch-yoga workout with 1 minute of 'breath of fire.' That marks the end of my self-care morning routine and then it’s time for breakfast and my amazing coaching clients.

The next time, you need to clear your mind, destress, get focused, or be energized. Consider trying one of these breathwork methods. Either simply placing your hands on your abdomen or one hand on your heart and the other on your stomach as you take deep, slow belly breaths feeling your stomach rise and fall. Or try square breathing: in, hold, out, hold. Nahdi shodhana or alternate nostril breathing. And lastly, 'breath of fire' where you are snapping your belly, focusing solely on exhaling, letting the inhales occur naturally.

I’m Liz Moser, a Mayo Clinic and National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, and thank you for reading this blog about several of my go-to breath-work techniques. If you have any questions about this video, about health and wellness, or wellness coaching with me, please reach out via my website at lizmosercoaching.com