The power of breathing

When it comes to running, walking, moving – and just living, breathing is the key to staying in the moment. And box breathing is an incredible technique that allows you to take slow, deep breaths in a controlled way.

Breathing is life

Did you know, you take about 20 000 breaths a day? The rhythm, timing and nature of your breathing affects everything about you. It influences your thought patterns, decision making, blood pressure and biochemistry. The way you breathe affects the way you move and hold your posture, as well as your thoughts and emotions.

Changing your pattern or rhythm of breathing changes everything. If you don’t breathe well or deep enough, it makes it difficult to release yourself from stagnant patterns, habits and rhythms in life that may not serve you.

And, from a health point of view, as the American Lung Association states, “Like aerobic exercise improves your heart function and strengthens your muscles, breathing exercises can make your lungs more efficient.” The aim is to breathe out the old stale air, and breathe in new, fresh air.

Breathing better also creates the opportunity and environment for change. Most of us need to slow down and deepen our breathing.

Box breathing

Box breathing is a simple way to help you change the pattern of your breath and breathe more deeply. It’s a great tool for learning how to control your breath, and how to slowly bring your heart rate down in stressful situations.

The best way to practice box breathing is through your nose, not your mouth. Taking a deep breath through the nose allows for more oxygen to get to your lungs, plus the nose adds warmth and moisture to inhaled air for smoother entry into the lungs.

It works like this:

Breathe in for a slow count of 4, hold your breath for a slow count of 4, breathe out for a slow count of 4, then again hold your breath for a slow count of 4, then repeat the cycle.  Notice how this breathing pattern resembles a box or square.

More box breathing techniques…

If you need some clarity on a problem or are stuck in an unwanted thought process or emotion – such as stress or anxiety, try box breathing for a minute or two and see if a bit of calm and clarity emerges. As you get familiar with box breathing you can add to the count and go on a cycle of 5,5,5,5. Other box breathing patterns include: hold 2, in 5, hold 2, out 7. Just be sure to keep it comfortable and don't force it.

When to try box breathing

You can add this type of breathing to almost any part of your daily activities including:  

• During a focused meditation session
• Sitting in a car at the traffic lights
• During stretching or mobility movements
• To wind down before you sleep at night (great for stress reduction)

Box breathing is also a great addition to walking, as it helps to soften and add fluidity to your strides, while keeping you present in the moment. Next time you master a walking cue, try add deep breathing to the mix and see how you feel.

JOIN me on my beach walk right here where I talk about how to breathe well during your day-to-day activities, and get rid of stuck breathing for good:

Resonant breathing

My personal favorite time to focus on breathing is on waking or during my morning routine. I like to proactively change the 20 000 breaths and decisions I take that day. Sleep very often disconnects our breathing. Many people snore or suffer from sleep apnoea, and during sleep, the spine, torso, and ribs can stiffen and become locked and rigid.

At this time, I like to practice a type of breathing called resonant breathing, which is a slow, steady diaphragmatic breathing technique. It offers a great way to relax the body, mind and breathing pattern at the start of the day.

It works like this: 

Resonant breathing is slowing your breath down to between 5 to 6 breaths per minute. This is the number of breaths that accomplished meditators breath at, if you chant or say the rosary, you'll also end up between 5 to 6 breaths per minute. 

At this rate of breathing, it turns out that our brain, heart and breathing rhythms all synchronize. This helps to relax the nervous system and allows the heart to beat with less stress. 

A good rule of thumb is to remember "365 Breathing", which translates to 3 times per day, for 5 minutes, take 6 breaths per day, do that 365 times a year. 

I practice resonant breathing during my morning mobility routines and meditation, then will often take a 5-minute break during the day to slow my breathing down to 6 breaths per minute if I feel tired, stressed or anxious while working. Resonant breathing should be done as nose breathing, in and out. 

I also try to meditate in a kneeling position for 10 minutes in the morning. Kneeling with a firm cushion between my legs that I can sit on like a saddle creates a posture where my breathing is the most relaxed and fluid. This is also a great position to meditate from. When your breathing is soft and relaxed, so is your mind.

For a deeper dive into breathing, join our Wednesday Breath to Thrive class, live or recorded, where we do a deep dive into a healthy breath reset once a week. 

Try the Breathing App

There’s a great free app called The Breathing App which demonstrates how resonant breathing can deepen and slow the breath down with visual or auditory cues, plus it has a timer.

In a nutshell, "The Breathing App is inspired by resonance, the scientific name that describes what happens when our heart rate, heart rate variability, blood pressure, and brainwave function come into a coherent frequency."

Available on iOS and Android

If you’d like to learn more about the power of breathing and how this simple activity can change your life, be sure to sign up to my  Breathe To Thrive Workshop coming soon

Good luck and enjoy the journey. Remember breathing is the key to staying in the moment.