I never thought the chaotic carpool lane would become my place of calm. But as it turned out, it was one of the only times during my week when I had ten minutes alone to perfect my basic breathing technique. Really, fix the space to simply breathe has the power to transform.
There was a time when I used that time to blow up playlist of the moment before the kids’ pop frenzy fills the car or instead indulges in a podcast. But lately, I’ve turned the volume down (in every sense) and used a few extra moments to focus on my breath. In the few minutes I was parking behind the wheel, I huddled in the quiet comfort of the car, focusing only on the sound of my inhalation and exhalation.
Creating space for that purposeful breathing is one of the best parts of my day. It makes me feel focus, awareness and present. And I do it just for me.
But that fact made me think. The art of inhalation/exhalation has supported me in some of my most important moments. Breathwork got me through three versions of birthcomforted me in times grief and lossand keep my knees from bowing in front of the wedding altar.
Featured image of Michelle Nash.
Discover How Putting Intention Into Your Breathing Technique Can Change Your Life
Want to dive into the everyday benefits of practicing a purposeful breathing technique, like stress and anxiety and even potentially weight lossI contacted the breath expert and the author of the stunning bestseller How to Breathe: 25 Simple Practices for Calm, Joy, and Recovery, Ashley Neese. Below, Ashley shares everything from the best time to practice breathing, different types of breathing techniques, and beginner-friendly tips for making breathing practice a part of her daily wellness routine. your day.
A few years ago it was almost unheard of breathing. What brought you to the training session?
I came to breathing space through meditation and yoga. What I like about the breath is that it is more accessible than traditional yoga poses and meditation practices. My favorite part of my job is witnessing my clients’ victories and seeing the tangible, lasting results in their lives from the impact of this work. I love cheering them on and celebrating their successes.
One of the main reasons people come to the breathing method is to relieve stress. How does this work?
When we are in stressful situations, our sympathetic nervous system is activated, producing our ‘fight or flight’ hormones. If we are not aware of our breath during these moments, our energy can very quickly be depleted. When we get out of this situation, our hormone levels drop again and can cause burnout. Over time, depleted energy can manifest as a lack of energy motivation, bar, a constant feeling of being overwhelmed, or even depression. The good news is that practicing regular breathing can create balance, peace, and space in the body to make up for lost energy.
Can breathing exercises improve sleep? And how about digestion?
Gentle breathing can significantly aid sleep and digestion through the nervous system’s transition to a ‘rest and digest’ mode.
Are there different types of breathing techniques?
Have different breathing patterns and different methods to teach breathing. The breathing methods I teach are effective for everyday situations like energizing yourself at work and reducing anxiety, as well as more enduring practices that focus on cultivating the ability to restore or enhance intimacy.
How do different breathing techniques affect our health?
One of the great things about breathing is that you can start with a very simple exercise to tone the general nervous system, or you can practice a specific exercise to achieve certain results. In my book, how to breathe,I cover a range of breathing practices to help with anger, sleep, connection, grief, and focus.
When is the best time of day to practice breathing?
I always tell my clients that the best time to exercise is the easiest time of day to schedule. I have clients with young children who love to practice before the kids wake up or with their kids at the end of the day. I also have clients who are more flexible in their lives and they practice before work or in the late afternoon. There is no perfect time of day or night, instead, consistency in your practice is what matters most.
For starters, what’s the best way to start practicing breathing?
Choose a simple practice to start with, like Ocean breath or open exhalation. Whichever way you choose, practice for just a few minutes a day. My clients have the best success building practice when they build their practice into something else they already do every day. This is called ‘routine stacking’ and it takes a lot less work than trying to make time on a pre-arranged schedule. Try stacking your homework before or after you brush your teeth, exercise, go to work, or drop your kids off at school. I mostly use the timer setting on my iPhone for practice, but apps like Patience can also be very helpful.
The key is to make it simple for yourself in the first place. We all have so much going on and we don’t want our practice to feel like another thing on our to-do list. You can always stretch your workout into the coming weeks!
