Breathing: The First Act Of Life
Breathing is the first basic act of life and we take about 670 million breaths in a lifetime.
Breathing is so natural to us that very few scientists have studied it in detail. Breathing is thought of as just a binary activity crucial to our lives, but the way we breathe matters a lot.
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A perfect âslowâ breath that creates profound effects in our body and mind is this: 5.5 seconds inhaling, followed by 5.5 seconds of exhaling. This can be practiced for a few minutes, or even an hour.
The heart, lungs and other organs benefit greatly, and the imbalances are restored to an extent.
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When you breathe through your nose, you absorb more nitric oxide, which is one reason you can absorb 18 percent more oxygen than by mouth breathing.
â5.5-second inhales followed by 5.5-second exhales, which works out almost exactly to 5.5 breaths a minute. The results were profound, even when practiced for just five to ten minutes a day.â
- Stop breathing through your mouth.
- Breathe through your nose as much as you can â while you exercise, and especially while you sleep.
- Apply the 5.5 rule by inhaling for 5.5-seconds followed by exhaling for 5.5-seconds.
It involves filling the lungs to the max and goes by various names like belly or diaphragmatic breathing.
It has been linked to improved cognitive performance, lower stress levels, and lower blood pressure.
- While keeping your mouth closed, take a deep breath in through your nose, counting to 2. The breath does not have to be deep.Â
- Put your lips together as if you are starting to whistle or blow out candles on a birthday cake. This is known as âpursingâ your lips.
- While continuing to keep your lips pursed, slowly breathe out by counting to 4. Donât try to force the air out, but instead breathe out slowly through your mouth.