Did you know that you breathe from 10,000-23,000 times a day? This means that your breath is essential to your every day life! But taking time to breath properly is important too.
Human breath began when God formed man from the dust of the earth. “He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and he became a living person” (Genesis 2:7, NLT). The breath of the Almighty is what gives us life (Job 33:4) and allows us to continue breathing every day.
How Breathing is Helpful
Healthy breathing can help us in so many ways. It can:
- Help heal our body
- Purge old energy and toxins out of your system
- Help reduce stress, anxiety, pain & inflammation
- Help us get better sleep at night
- Help our hormone balance
- Support a healthy heart and blood flow through the body.
- Boost energy levels
- Reduce anxiety
- Help us get to sleep
- Support brain functioning by increasing oxygen levels in the brain tissue
Breath was the first thing we did on this earth, and it will be the last thing we do. It’s important ever day, but we tend to botch it so easily.
Examples of Breath Issues
Take for instance, when you become anxious or stressed. This causes your heart rate and breathing to change, your blood pressure to increase, and your muscles to tense up. You immediately go into shallow, upper chest breathing or hold your breath. It’s a typical stress response, but you can quickly change this with abdominal breathing. It will help to control the nervous system and will encourage the body to relax. And when you are aware that you are holding your breath, remind yourself to breathe.
Another time our breath becomes shallow or rapid is when we are in the ‘fight or flight’ mode. God created us to have a natural ‘fight or flight’ response when we face life-threatening situations, like encountering a growling dog or having to slam on the brakes when someone stops suddenly in front of you. But in today’s culture, we tend to use it too often; it has become a trigger, not a response to real danger. This causes our body to have to prioritize the bodily processes that are necessary for survival. So, things like digestion shuts down. That’s why eating when you are stressed can cause digestive issues.
My Breath Issues
So, why am I so interested in breathwork? I was in a traumatic car accident when I was 5 years old, and my mom almost died before anyone could find us in the woods. After that, I never felt safe, so things easily made me feel unsafe or anxious.
Later as a young adult, I became hooked on adrenaline. It became a habit of moving fast and working hard, all to be successful (and to keep my mind off of my emotions). My body was always in the ‘fight or flight’ mode, even when there was no real danger.
I have spent quite a bit of time in counseling and meditation; but now I’m learning how to practice helpful breathing to deal with my triggers and unhealthy reactions. I believe all of us can deal with our anxiety and stress by improving our breathing.
Join me in the Next Blog in this Series
So, I invite you to join me in my next blog on how to do breathwork. It can change you in many ways!
“When you are stressed and the world seems too much to handle,
you have two options: freak out or take a deep breath.”
