The mechanical act of breathing is absolutely essential for life and is the least interesting way to think about breathing. Your breath has the potential to do so much more than just keep you alive by moving air in and out of your person. 

​By changing your breathing patterns – how long you inhale/exhale or how long you pause between breaths or how you vocalize, you can actually change your mental/emotional states and your physical health.  Your breath can serve as a gateway to improved physiological and psychological well-being, influencing every system in your body, including digestion, nervous system function, energy levels, and more. When stressed, your breath becomes shallow, but by changing your breathing patterns, you can nudge your nervous system towards relaxation mode and positively affect bodily functions that aren't normally under your conscious control.  

The nervous system operates in two main modes: the somatic nervous system, which governs voluntary movements, like moving your arm or taking a walk, and the autonomic nervous system, responsible for involuntary functions like digesting your lunch and controlling your heart rate and blood pressure. Unlike voluntary actions controlled by the somatic system, the autonomic system functions automatically, responding to stress or relaxation. Understanding this distinction is crucial, as it highlights the unique role of breathing, which interfaces with both systems, and offers us a pathway to influence our stress response.  

Regular pranayama practice can shift the body out of stress mode, leading to improved overall health. Each pranayama technique offers specific benefits, allowing for targeted improvements in mental and physical well-being.  Having a toolbox of breathing techniques at your disposal means you can choose ‘the right way to breathe’ for your situation.  Whether you want to soothe your nerves before public speaking, sleep better, improve focus, or whatever the moment calls for. 

​3 Beginner-Friendly Breathing Practices To Try

1.     Breath Awareness:

As the foundation of all breathing techniques, breath awareness is the perfect starting point for your exploration. 
 
How To:
Close your eyes and focus inward on the gentle rhythm of your breath.  As you breathe in, notice that you’re breathing in.  As you breathe out, notice that you’re breathing out. 
 
Guided Practice

2.    Cardiac Coherence:

This breathing technique harmonizes your breathing rhythm with your heartbeat, using a form of biofeedback to tap into inner tranquility.
 
How To:
Place your hands over your heart and feel its steady rhythm.  Then sync up your breath with the rhythmic beating of your heart.

Guided Practice:

3.     Bhramari Breathing

Bhramari, or Bumblebee breath, harnesses the power of humming to vibrate and stimulate your vagus nerve (the primary nerve associated with your relaxation response) and increase your body’s production of Nitric Oxide (NO), a powerful vasodilator, mood booster, memory enhancer and germ fighter. 
 
How To:
Find a comfortable seat.  Close your eyes.  Inhale deeply and make a humming sound as you exhale, like the sound of a buzzing bee. 
 
Guided Practice:

Health benefits of relaxing pranayama

·       Stress relief: by simply paying attention to your breath, it tends to shift into a slower, deeper pattern that induces a state of calm
·       Presence: focusing on your breath shifts your focus away from incessant mental chatter.  Worries and rumination fade into the background; fear and anxiety loosen their grip as you focus on what is actually happening in the present moment.  Breathing. 
·       Mindful mastery: with practice, you cultivate the skill of noticing when your mind wanders and learn to gently guide it back to your breath.  This skill acts like a shield against negative thought patterns.  
·       Neural harmony: by directing attention away from fear and worries, breath awareness diminishes activity in the amygdala (the part of the brain associated with fear), fostering a sense of peace and calm
·       Better sleep: your tissues repair and your body performs its general maintenance functions while you sleep.  A good night’s sleep is also good for your cognition, memory and mood. 

A daily breathing practice offer numerous health benefits, from stress reduction to improved mood, cognition, and sleep quality. By incorporating just a few minutes of mindful breathing into your routine, you can breathe your way to better health.

3) Pain Relief
Stretching is like popping a natural pain killer.  When you stretch, your brain floods your body with a slew of feel-good biochemicals like endorphins and cannabinoids, that reduce pain sensitivity, making those twinges and tight spots feel a little less bothersome. 
Plus, regular stretching can boost your pain tolerance and improve your coping mechanisms for dealing with discomfort.

There’s a really cool study that compares pain tolerance in seasoned yoga practitioners to people with no yoga experience.  It discovered that yoga practitioners’ pain tolerance was double or more to that of non-yoga people.  Why?  Yoga practice seems to beef up a part of the brain called the insula that is responsible for processing bodily sensations.  Adding density is in this part of the brain allows yogis to relate to and cope with pain better.  Cool, cool, cool!

4) Relaxation
Feeling stressed?  Take a stretch break.  A good stretch sesh triggers your body’s relaxation response, reducing muscle tension, boosting blissful endorphins, improving blood flow, enhancing mindfulness and lowering cortisol levels.

Stretching engages your body’s natural relaxation pathways, creating an overall feeling of well-being and contentment.  Like giving yourself a mini spa day, minus the hefty price tag.  So, kick back, relax and unwind your muscles and mind.
 
5) Mind-Body Connection
Stretching isn’t just about touching your toes (although that’s pretty cool). It’s about tuning in to your body and developing a deeper sense of self-awareness. 

By focusing on the sensations and movements of your body during stretching, you become more attuned to the present moment, and to changing status of your inner world.  You can recognize the relationships between mental states and physical sensations. Your ability to be aware of and identify different kinds of bodily sensations translates into your ability to notice feelings like stress, anxiety or tension, and take steps to deal with them in the early stages and restore your body’s delicate balance.

Stretching can help ground you in the present moment and become more self-aware, resilient and to find more harmony between mind and body.

6) Feels Good
And that’s reason enough to stretch.  You should do things that feel good and are good for you.

But why does stretching feel so good?

When you stretch you release muscle tension, stimulate blood flow, and send happy hormones coursing through your veins. 
​
So there you have it, folks: 6 fantastic reasons to fall head over heels for stretching.  And guess what?  The benefits don’t stop there.  Exciting new research is popping up all the time, revealing even more ways that stretching can supercharge your health and happiness.  So, roll out your yoga mat, grab your foam roller and enjoy a good stretch.    

As the confetti settles and the New Year unfolds, the air is charged with the energy of change.   I know not everyone is into making New Year's resolutions - but I say anytime is a good time to make positive changes. Opening up a fresh, empty day planner for the year is like standing in front of a blank canvas, inviting us all to ponder how we want to shape our future.  It’s an opportunity to create meaningful change.  Let's take it!

'EXERCISE MORE' is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions.  As a yoga and fitness teacher I’ve seen class sizes balloon each January only to deflate by March year after year after year - like clockwork.  People kick off the new year with the best of intentions, but enthusiasm fizzles within a few weeks.  Why does that happen?  Well, a lot of that initial excitement stems from guilt about holiday indulgences and a desire to shed the extra pounds. According to Health Psychologist, Kelly McGonigal, PhD, that’s not the kind of motivation that fuels lasting change. What you need to succeed is intrinsic motivation.

The trick to creating an exercise resolution that sticks is to dig deeeeeeeep into WHY you want more exercise in your life.  Here are 4 tips to help you get it down this year:

1. Understand Your Motivation – Intrinsic vs Extrinsic

When you’re intrinsically motivated, you do something because it feels genuinely satisfying and fulfilling. It’s about the joy you get from exercise itself, not external rewards.

Scenario: You choose to incorporate regular exercise into your routine as a New Year’s resolution.

Intrinsic Motivation:  You’re in it because you want to feel strong, healthy, energized and vital.  The sheer joy of movement and its positive impact on your well-being are what keep you going.  You might feel a burst of energy after your very first workout, giving you the motivation to stick with it.  Movement is its own reward. 

Extrinsic Motivation: On the flip side, wanting to achieve a specific weight or fit into a specific pant size is what's driving you.  Your satisfaction will come from reaching some external goal, not from the act of moving itself.  The results you want to see may take awhile. This can lead to frustration and a lack of motivation. 

In the long run, the intrinsically motivated person is more likely to stick with their resolution because they genuinely enjoy the activity and value its immediate positive impact on their well-being.   Setting goals is great, but it’s even more crucial to align your behaviours with your values.  Commit to what you really value most ... feeling good, energized, healthy, and vital.

2. Know Your WHY

Delve into the motivations behind your resolution.  Exercise isn’t just about shedding pounds; it’s a freaking treasure trove of benefits for your physical, mental and emotional well-being.  Check out my blog on the Miraculous Healing Power of Muscles for some awesome motivation. 

Movement is a natural mood booster that fights stress, anxiety and depression.  It improves cognitive function and brain structure.  On the surface of things, you may want to shed pounds or alter your appearance in some way, but if you dig deeper, what you're likely to discover is that what you really want is to feel good in your body and mind. Let that be your motivation.  You can have those results immediately after your first walk, yoga session or dance class.

If you resolve to do things that help you feel good in your body and mind, you can be flexible with HOW you achieve that.  If it turns out the gym's not a good fit for you, no problem!  You’re free to explore other options like a local yoga studio, running group, pickleball club or ballroom dance class.  You'll know when you've found the movement practice that's right for you because it'll light you up and you'll want to return to it again and again.  Now you've found your intrinsic motivation!
 
3. Be Compassionate with Setbacks

Change is hard.  Especially big changes.  If you’re planning a big change for the new year,  have a realistic vision of what that process actually looks like, and give yourself grace. Change isn't linear; it involves backsliding, obstacles and mistakes.  So, expect those.  You don’t necessarily change at the moment you vow to make a change.  Lasting change requires forming new habits and new habits take time to form. 

Any meaningful change is probably going to include the day you feel like giving up and the day you don't get your planned workout in because you just plain don't feel like it.  That's normal. Remember this: no one day defines the story of you as a human forever.  You can always workout tomorow or next week and carry on from there.  

Sometimes unexpected life events happen – be prepared for that, and be compassionate with yourself when it happens.  Getting derailed doesn’t mean you’re not capable of living the life you aspire to live.  You can always get back on track. 

4. Practice Mindful Self-Reflection

Mindfulness is your BFF on the journey of self-discovery and change.  Daily self-reflection is a powerful tool to help you assess whether the exercise behaviours you've chosen to change are moving the needle in the right direction.  Try and enjoy the process of growth instead of fixating on end goals. 

As you step into the new year, let it be a mindful exploration of your self and your values, and enjoy the process of creating meaningful change in your life.  Embrace the journey. Be compassionate with setbacks, and remember that each day is a new opportunity to move the story of change in your chosen direction.  Here’s to a year filled with mindful movement!


Additional Reading and Resources

The Joy of Movement and The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal, PhD