***Breathing

Yoga instructors, singing coaches, athletic coaches, exercise gurus, meditation gurus, and even Lamaze instructors all try to teach us deep breathing. We know we should. But few of us actually do it.

I believe change can be easy if you engineer it well. Going from multi-tasking to peaceful meditation is too big of a jump for most Americans. We try it a few times and give up—or decide we “just don’t have the time.”

When it comes to deep breathing, we have it backwards. Few people breathe as deeply and fully as possible when they try to take a deep breath. If you expel all the air from you lungs, however, you usually get most of the air out and create a very strong vacuum. That vacuum sucks air back in and prompts your body to breathe more deeply for several minutes.

You don’t have to have a yoga matt, incense, and classical music. You can do it at a stop light, while waiting for a file to download, or standing in line at the grocery store or post office. Using that five seconds of downtime gives you five minutes of better breathing benefits.

The procedure is a snap. The other trick is remembering to do it.
Sometimes you might choose to expel all the air in your lungs include:
~after brushing your teeth (seeing it as part of daily hygiene)
~before eating (it may also result in less overeating)
~any time you are stopped at a red light (even if listening to a CD or the radio)
~waiting in a line (may relieve boredom and impatience as well)
~before watching TV (if you are watching to relax, relax more fully)
~when going to bed (can also help you get to sleep)

Which ones fit best with your lifestyle?