What does the human body do 23,000 times a day…?
We breathe.
Each day from the moment we are born, and without any conscious thought, training or any requirement to even try, our body inhales and exhales in a repeated cycle to keep us alive. Our lungs pull approximately 11,000 litres into our body each day. All day and all night, in every minute of every hour, we breathe.
Most of us never stop to give much of a thought to this remarkable system but it is beneficial both to our body and our mind if we do so.
It is commonly believed that “breathwork”, the conscious practise of controlled and deliberate breathing has a positive impact on our mental health and wellbeing, as well as having health benefits for our heart and nervous system. Scientists and practitioners are finding that a particular frequency of breath – around six exhalations a minute – can be especially restorative, triggering a “relaxation response” in the brain and body. But finding this frequency requires us to slow it all down and pay attention.
At least once a day (preferably two or three times), stop to slow down your body and pay attention to your breathing. A common and easy technique to remember is ‘box breathing’.
If you can, place your feet on the floor and your hand on your stomach underneath your ribs. Close your eyes if you are comfortable to do so and straighten your back to maximise your lung capacity:
Step 1: Breathe in through your nose counting to 4 slowly. Feel the air enter your lungs.
Step 2: Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Try to avoid inhaling or exhaling for 4 seconds, just hold.
Step 3: Slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.
Step 4: Repeat steps 1 to 3 until you feel re-centred and calm.
Slow, deep breathing can reduce levels of anxiety and stress, it can also be a useful exercise before bedtime to improve your state of relaxation before sleep.
Many of us breathe more shallowly when we are feeling stressed or worried. Being able to consciously control your breathing and slow the process down is a good way to feel in control of what your body is doing… but don’t wait until those feelings of worry arrive; make controlled breathing a habit to begin and end your day to settle mind and calm your body.
