Diaphragmatic Breathing
Ever since the day you were born, breathing has been a vital part of your every day life. It’s generally a subconscious action that many of us don’t even take a great deal of notice of. But have you ever thought about the power that our breath holds and how much impact we can have by just focusing in on it?
Understanding your breath can help to:
Make you more efficient in your fitness training/sports performance
Manage in stressful situations
Ease increased levels of stress/anxiety
Improve sleep
Find mental clarity/headspace
It’s a tool that can be used anywhere and can provide instant relief or have powerful effect when you need it the most.
Today I want to touch on a simple breath technique called diaphragmatic breathing. I used this a lot when I used to struggle with my sleep and you may come across it a lot in a yoga class or mediation apps.
How to do it:
As with any breathing techniques make sure you do this before eating or a few hours after a meal to give you time to digest
Lie on your back, knees bent in a comfortable position (use pillows if needed). You can also do this sitting at a desk if you just need a few moments in the middle of the day
If you’re in your second or third trimester or unable to lie on your back, prop yourself up with pillows or lie on your side.
Place one or both hands onto your tummy
Inhale pushing your belly away from the body (creating a dome)
Exhale allowing the belly to soften back down towards the spine
Ensure the breath is relaxed and comfortable throughout
Continue with this breath for as long as you need. I would usually do it for as long as I needed to help me drift off to sleep or for a few rounds when I just needed to reduce my stress in the the middle of the day