Physical – Activity: Practice Deep Breathing
Deep breathing has been show to be beneficial in many ways. When we practice deep breathing, we can lower blood pressure, improve heart rate and sleep, lower stress, and feel calmer and improve ability to handle emotions.
Benefits of Deep Breathing:
- infographic at emmasepella.com
- infographic at Huffington Post
- Watch Dr. Alan Watkins TED talk “Being Brilliant Every Single Day part two“
Learn How
via GIPHY or Breathe Bubble from Calm at Youtube
If you have a smartphone or tablet, try the Breath2Relax app from health.mil. It includes a demonstration, stress rating, and cycles for deep breathing.
Try the Breath Awareness Meditation at Meditation Oasis or 6 Breathing Exercises to Relax in 10 minutes or less at Greatist.com.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Pexels.com
Practice Deep Breathing using the diaphragm. Count to five while inhaling through the nose, then count to five while exhaling through pursed lips. If possible, place a hand between navel and ribcage to feel the abdomen rise with the diaphragm. It can be helpful to imagine a flower that you sniff as you inhale and blow the petals as you exhale.
To remind yourself to breathe deeply throughout the day, you can use an hourly timer like the Blip Blip app for Android. Or make a golf stroke counter with 10 beads, and move a bead each time you focus on taking 10 deep breaths. They can be hooked onto key chains or belt loops, or used as a bracelet.
Your Mission:
I will take 10 deep breaths at least 10 times a day this week, when the hour changes. I will use a timer to remind me, and keep track with a golf stroke bead counter every day for one week.
Amazon affiliate links to books below provide a small commission that helps to support the Daily PlanIt.
Books and TED talks:
- “The Oxygen Advantage” by Patrick McKeown, TED talk Shut your mouth and change your life, Relaxation and Recovery audio, Oxygen Advantage app
- “A Life Worth Breathing” by Max Strom, TED talk Breathe to heal
- Emma Seppala TED talk Breathing happiness
- Belisa Vranich TED talk How to breathe
- Lucas Rockwood TED talk Change your breath, change your life
- “Breath” by James Nestor
MORE TOOLS:
- Helpguide Deep Breathing Meditation
- WebMD Deep Breathing Exercises
- Chris Wurden Box Breath at soundcloud
- Pinterest board links on breathing
This is one of the weekly activities for a Year of Personal Development and a coping skill.
I seek to create order from the chaos of complex information. Join me at the Daily PlanIt to gain insights, inspiration, and information to increase skills for a better life. I unlock the power of teaching reading with phonics in the pursuit of literacy at www.phonicspow.com. In my spare time I explore books and movies, often choosing titles available on both screen and page.
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