Breathing exercises to feel better immediately

Breathe well and you will live better

Oxygen is essential to keep us alive and, being so decisive, we do not give breathing the importance that we do give to other vital functions such as eating or sleeping. But breathing well depends on both our health and our mood, even our weight or our sexuality.

The power of breath. It takes care of the cardiovascular system and lowers tension, makes digestion easier, provides more concentration and improves memory, fights insomnia, helps lose weight, relaxes and fights stress, calms pain and makes it more bearable, better relationships sexual and has anti-aging effect.

How to prepare for breathing exercises

Taking into account the benefits that we have discussed, below we give you breathing exercises that improve health and well-being. But, before getting down to work, you should take into account the following considerations.

Empty stomach. To practice these techniques, at least two hours must have passed since the last meal.
Quiet environment. Lower the light, put on relaxing music … Close your eyes and focus.
Fresh air. If you can do it outdoors, all the better. Failing that, make it a well ventilated space. In any case, the temperature must be pleasant, since you will be a while without moving.
Fix your attention. Visualize the entire path of your breath. Look at how the chest rises and falls, the abdomen, the sound of the air entering and leaving your body …

Breathing exercises for sleep

To sleep well, Dr. Andrew Weil recommends the 4-7-8 technique.

It consists of inhaling through your nose for a mental count of 4, holding your breath for a count of 7, and exhaling through your mouth for a count of 8. Repeat the exercise until you fall asleep (according to Weil, 1 minute).

Breathing exercises to improve digestion

If you want to improve your digestion, take note.

Sitting on the floor and with your knees on your chest, take deep breaths. Then exhale and hug your knees bringing them as close to your chest as possible. Hold the position while taking 5 to 10 slow breaths. Repeat 3 times.

Breathing exercises for stress

The key to breathing to combat stress is to breathe more slowly.

To do this controlled breathing, breathe in through your nose for 3 seconds, using your diaphragm. Exhale through your nose for another 3 seconds. Pause and repeat the exercise several times.

Breathing exercises to lose weight

This breathing exercise can help you lose weight.

Standing, put one foot in front of the other. Use your thighs and let all your weight fall on your back foot. Breathe in slowly for 3 seconds and bring your arms over your head. Exhale in 7 seconds as you tense your muscles and lower your arms.

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Breathing exercises for low back pain

If you want lower back pain relief, try this one.

Lie on your back with your legs bent and a pillow under your head. Put your hands on your abdomen to feel it rise: take air through your nose, swelling your belly, and slowly release it through your nose. Do it 15 times.

Breathing exercises for back pain

Repeat this breathing exercise several times and you will relieve back pain.

Sit up straight, place your hands on either side of the ribs; expels all the air. Then, breathe in making the ribs expand, hold the air for a few seconds and take it out to return to their position.

Breathing exercises for colds

Among other remedies and tips to cope with the cold, you can use your breath.

Sitting, take a breath through your nose and slowly draw it out through your half-open mouth, as if fogging up glass. Perform 40 reps, then take a deep breath and blow the air out quickly through your mouth. When finished, try to cough.

Find out here how to say goodbye to a cold in 24 hours.

Breathing exercises to recover from a workout

It is also very important to breathe well before, during and after exercising. Here is a breathing exercise for after playing sports.

First, breathe out through your nose. Then pinch your nose to hold your breath for 2 to 5 seconds, and when finished, breathe normally through your nose for 10 seconds. You must put it into practice for 3 to 5 minutes to recover.

Breathing exercises to gain energy

And if you want to activate, do this.

It involves breathing in and out quickly through the nose. Both processes should take one second each. Do it for 15 seconds and then breathe normally. Alternate rapid and normal breaths for up to 1 minute.