In eastern cultures and in the practice of meditation, life revolves around breathing. In fact, the breath is considered the very essence of life. Their belief is that each of us is allotted a certain, finite number of breaths and, the more relaxed we breathe, the longer we will live. While those of us in western cultures may not adhere to those opinions and even drive ourselves to improve our health and live longer by breathing harder and faster through cardiovascular exercise such as running, there is no arguing that breathing is critical to life.

When we sleep, there is a very noticeable slowing of our breathing. This is an inherent part of relaxation. Along with our decreased breathing rate during sleep, our heartrate/pulse and blood pressure decrease. Furthermore, our muscles relax and tension decreases. Yogis and monks in places like Tibet, Nepal, India, Myanmar and Bhutan have used relaxed, deep breathing for years to control body functions much like sleep does. While you and I may not ever achieve the profound level of expertise in bodily control that these experts have attained through years of daily hours of practice, we can still utilize this concept to gain better control over our bodies and bodily functions.

I have guided patients for decades to become more aware of their breathing and to use deep breathing techniques whenever they feel stressed. The nerve pathways between the brain and the lungs (and the diaphragm muscle that expands/contracts the lungs) transmit nerve impulses that speed our breathing in response to increased stress, such as running, lifting heavy objects, climbing stairs/hills, performing athletic tasks, being surprised or attacked, etc. This is a normal, healthy response. It stands to reason that we can utilize those same communication pathways to calm down the brain.

Bearing this in mind, we can learn to relax ourselves, to reduce stress and decrease our heartrate and blood pressure by controlling our breathing. Natural health gurus, Dr. Andrew Weil and Deepak Chopra stress breathing as a core part of their health teachings. It also is an effective way to control/reduce fear and stress. So, let’s discuss how to breathe.

Although this can be done standing, sitting or lying down, sitting is preferable. Try to sit with an erect posture with the back straight and the shoulders held square (our common collapsed, slouched, head and shoulders forward posture compresses our lungs). If possible, cross your legs. Rest your arms and hands, palms up, on your lap. Close your eyes. Place the tip of your tongue against your palate at the top of your mouth. Slowly breathe in through your nose and attempt to fill your lungs to their fullest. When you cannot take in any more air, hold the breath for as long as you can in a relaxed manner. Then, slowly and gradually breathe out through your mouth until your lungs feel entirely empty. Repeat this process slowly, fully and patiently. In the process, you will feel your mind and body relax and your heart slow down.

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