People generally associate mental strengthening with supplements or indulging in some heavy duty activity like card and memory games. But there is a way to use a bodily function that we take for granted, but acts as the pulse to life – breathing. Did you just notice your own breath? As it happens, harnessing the power of the breath can actually help boost your mind. Since ancient times many great yogis and those who practiced traditional methods of exercise and meditation had at their core the technique of breathing right.
With the busy lives that most of us lead, we tend to forget one of the most important functions of the body – the first being blood flow. But, in order to make even our life blood go smoothly and nourish every inch of our physicality, you need oxygen and that is obtained only and only through our breathing. Because of our hectic schedules, we don’t really spend any time thinking about how we are breathing or even the fact that air is constantly going through our noses and mouths and feeding us with life-giving breath. Whether we are sleeping or eating or running or doing nothing at all, we are constantly inhaling and exhaling. The best part about it is that, unlike our beating hearts, we can actually control the speed and amount of oxygen we take in. By doing this, we help a number of body parts including our lungs, our airway and importantly, our brains. It is a well-known fact that our brains use oxygen as food for mental strength. Here are the benefits of controlled breathing and also, the easiest way you can practice breathing techniques:
For Stress
Try following your breath as you take in air through your nose deeply. Continue to track it as it comes back up your windpipe and blow out through the mouth. If you do this a couple more times for starters, you will immediately notice that you feel relaxed. Some of the most successful people in the world in fact practice this first thing in the morning, and sometimes during the day as well, especially when under most stress.
For Anxiety
There are a substantial number of people who suffer from slight anxiety to full-blown panic attacks. Though it is normal to now and again feel tense, it can turn into something serious where you cannot function as your heart races and your head hurts, with you breaking out into a sweat. The best and most natural way to treat anxiety is by controlled breathing. First you might need to take more shallow breaths, but as you feel calmness enveloping you, take deeper breaths until you feel better almost immediately.
For Brain Growth
As mentioned earlier, the brain uses oxygen as brain food. The more oxygen you take in and more carbon dioxide you breathe out, the better chances your brain will get replenished and be able to develop. It is extremely important for brain health to get fresh oxygen and take it in properly. When oxygen is cut off from the body, it is the brain is usually the first to get affected.
