How to use breath as a tool for growth and change
Do you understand the importance and power of your breath? In Pilates, we focus on breathing intentionally, but do you know how important proper breathing is in your everyday life?
You may be surprised to discover that something as simple as breathing can be used as a tool to impact both your physical and mental health.
In this episode of The Balanced Life, you’ll learn just how important the breath is and how proper breathing can change your body and life. If you are interested in a simple, free way to impact your health you won’t want to miss this episode.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…
- Learning correct breathing [3:22]
- How many times you hold your breath each day [8:22]
- How Robin use breath in her daily life and even with her kids [11:35]
- How to use breath in a preventative way [20:30]
Do you know the role that breathing plays on your health?
Robin never understood the role that breathing played on health and wellness until she discovered Pilates. The importance of breathing in Pilates is unique to this form of exercise. The founder of Pilates, Joseph Pilates, emphasized the key aspect of breathing in our life and on our body. He noted the value of the breath by saying that breathing is our first act of life and our last. Our very life depends on breathing.
Proper breathing can reset your nervous system
This is why it is so important to learn how to breathe correctly. Posture affects breathing. Improper posture puts pressure on your belly and can impair your pelvic floor. When your body is out of alignment it upsets your ability to breathe properly.
If you spend a lot of time hunched over it can restrict your breath which means that there is less oxygen entering your system. This lack of oxygen puts the body into fight or flight mode.
To restore proper breathing patterns and enter rest and digest mode, it’s important to correct your posture. With the proper posture you will push your ribs and lungs out so that they can fully expand to take in a full breath.
Setting reminders throughout the day can remind you to come back and notice your breath. Consider using these trigger points at various times of the day: sitting at traffic lights, before meal times, or as you walk into a room. Whatever your reminder is, that touchpoint can help you reset your mind and get an oxygen energy boost through the simple act of breathing.
Breathing can help with anxiety
Breathing even helps people tame their anxiety, and Robin is proof of that. Breathwork helped Robin connect her mind and body to reduce stress, work through her anxiety, and change her life. Anxiety is brought on by feeling a lack of control. By slowing down and focusing on breathing you can bring control back into your body.
In the Lindywell app you can find a few breathing-focused exercises that can help you focus on your breathing and reset your nervous system.
Listen in to hear several breathing techniques that could help you work through anxiety and regain control of your mind–you won’t want to miss out on hearing about the breathing exercises that Robin uses with her kids!
Resources & People Mentioned
- BOOK – Breath by James Nestor
- BOOK – Raising Worry-Free Girls in an Anxious World by Sissy Goff
- Wim Hof
- Episode 40 – How I overcame paralyzing anxiety
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2 thoughts on “How to use breath as a tool for growth and change”
Really interesting and helpful! Thank you for sharing.
Claire x
We’re so glad you found it helpful, Claire!