Breathing lessons for a healthier you

1/26/10 Posted in Cover Story  |  0 Comments

Breathing probably isn’t one of the things on your “to do” list. Because it happens automatically, most people don’t give breathing a second thought. But by giving it some attention, the breath has a lot to offer in terms of health and wellness.

Breathing affects both body and mind. “Focusing on and deepening the breath can help with self awareness, concentration, anxiety, depression, high blood pressure and several other conditions,” says Kathy Ornish, certified yoga therapist in East Lansing. “It can help quiet your mind and slow your heart rate.”

Ornish explains that there are different ways to use the breath for certain conditions or outcomes. “Breathing can be calming or invigorating both physiologically and psychologically,” says Ornish. “What you do with the breath and when you do it will depend on the situation—if you need to wake up, if you’re anxious and need to calm down, or if you want to go to sleep.”

There are two basic steps in learning how to use the breath, says Ornish. The first step is breath awareness, or focusing on and observing the natural flow of the breath. The second step is conscious breathing, or gently altering the natural flow of the breath.

Breath Awareness

As a beginner, it’s best to find a quiet place with few distractions. Sit comfortably or lie down. Become aware of what’s happening without changing how you breathe. Feel your breath moving in and out. Notice how your belly moves out as you breathe in and how it moves in as you breathe out. Notice the sensation of the air in your nose. There is no specific length of time or number of times to do this exercise: “Any amount of time is great,” says Ornish. “After you develop breath awareness, it’s useful to do it anytime, anyplace, to get a glimpse of the state of your mind and body.”

Conscious Breathing


Conscious breathing can be done sitting in a chair, sitting on a cushion on the floor, lying on the floor on your back, or lying on your stomach with your forehead on your hands. Be sure your exhales are equal to or longer than your inhales.

To relax and calm: Inhale on one, exhale on two, inhale on three, exhale on four, inhale on five; exhale on five, inhale on four, and continue counting back down. This is good to do while focusing on making your exhales longer. It’s helpful anytime, especially when you have trouble sleeping.

To relax and rejuvenate: Inhale for a count of six, hold for a count of four, then exhale for a count of 8-10. This is a good exercise to do during the day when energy starts to lag, such as around 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The beauty of “breath work” is that it’s a simple process that can be done anytime, anywhere: Standing in the checkout line, sitting in the waiting room, during a meeting, or at home. With a little time and attention, your breath can offer big health benefits.

For more information and a class schedule, visit Kathy Ornish’s Web site, GoodSpaceYoga.com or call her at 517-485-5659.

written by Karen Giles-Smith, MS, RD. Smith is a registered dietitian and freelance writer based in Mason, Michigan. Visit her Web site and blog at www.TheWellnessWriter.com