Simply Wondering
Focused Breathing: Spiritual, Physical, and Mental Benefits
Research has shown focused breathing to be a super stress buster that evokes the relaxation response in our brains. That’s enough reason for me to want to practice it but there are many other benefits to focused breathing that include spiritual, physical and mental. In this article, we will talk about those benefits as well as the technique of focused breathing in an effort to help you live a life of optimal health particularly during these trying times we are living in.
To focus on something means to be aware of it. So, focused breathing is taking time to simply be aware of your breath. Just 10 minutes a day will produce noticeable affects. Take those 10 minutes perhaps on your lunch break at work, first thing in the morning when you wake up, or anytime you are feeling stressed. I have found it helpful to do several times a day.
Just pause. Simply pause and bring your focus to your breath for about 10 minutes. Focused breathing is best done by breathing through your nose in addition to belly breathing. Belly breathing is best accomplished by placing your hand on your belly and taking a deep breath in through the nose. You should feel your belly rise. Nasal breathing accompanied by belly breathing does the following:
· Humidifies inhaled air
· Increases airflow to the arteries, veins, and nerves
· Increases oxygen uptake and circulation. (According to https://www.breathingandsleepcenter.com/ nasal, belly breathing provides up to 20% more oxygen in your bloodstream.
· Improves lung volumes: Breathing through your nose allows you to take a deeper breath that engages the lower lungs. It is here that oxygen is picked up and carried throughout the body. Our organs cannot survive without oxygen.
Deep focused breathing allows for full oxygen exchange which in turn slows the heart rate and lowers the blood pressure. https://www.healthharvard.edu/.
Spiritual Benefits
I have found that focusing on my breath allows me to connect to my core spirit~myself. While breathing in, focus on the air filling your lungs and feel it flow throughout your body. By focusing on your breath, you are more self-aware. It allows for easier access to your inner peace. As you exhale, send that peace out to all living beings. Focused breathing is a great time to disconnect from everyone and everything. Take all of your attention inward to the body and the precious air you are breathing in.
Physical Benefits
We have already discussed the physical benefits above. Just to recap, the primary benefit for me is stress reduction. We know that stress lowers our immune system, increases our blood pressure, increases pain, and leads to anxiety and depression. Stress is a killer. Focused breathing will control that stress and therefore, control all the symptoms of stress leading to a happier, healthier life. We cannot always control stress but we can definitely control our response to it. That is where focused breathing comes into play.
Mental Benefits
I think the mental benefits go without saying given everything we’ve discussed in this article thus far. A reduction in stress alone has the benefit of a healthier mind. Healthier mind leads to healthier body. Everything begins and ends in the mind. Focused breathing allows us to get out of our mind for a moment and focus on our breathing. It allows us to disconnect from the stressful things we are thinking about and instead bring our attention to our breath. It gives us a mental energy boost and helps us relax into our unconscious mental processes.
In summary, it is my intention to make focused breathing part of my daily practice. I have found it useful to close my eyes during my practice but it is not essential. I just feel that we are a very visual people and for me, closing the eyes blocks out all the visual stimuli and allows the brain time to rest. Give focused breathing a try for 30 days. It just takes 10 minutes a day. Do it consistently for the 30 days and notice the positive change.
I look forward to hearing from you about your experience. I hope you will enter your email address to receive my monthly short articles straight to your inbox. I am grateful for your support.
In love,
Vince, RN BSN CCRN
