by Irene Chiang
A. Rational
Breath is the most natural and essential activity all living beings do everyday without even thinking about it - it happens automatically and does not require conscious thought to breathe. Moreover, breath is crucial for life, movement and rhythm. In fact, it is “the central biological process among the core functions of the live organism,” and it “can be influenced by and is reflective of changes in consciousness, feelings, and thoughts” (Hackney, 1999, p. 51). It is undeniable that smooth breathing represents good health, and all of us do have the ability to improve the way we breathe.
B. Plan
Simple Breathing Exercise
1. Lie on the floor, have a mat placed between your body and the floor if necessary, or lie on the bed. Lie with your legs in akimbo, and close your eyes.
2. Pay attention to your breath and make sure you breath with your diaphragm, but not merely doing hallow breathing in the chest area. Raise your arms and put your hands underneath your head to help secure the position of upper chest, and let your diaphragm enter a moving state.
3. After all the preparations have been done, begin to breathe. Inhale through your nose and count to two, and then exhale through your nose as well and count to three. Please take notice that you need to exhale slowly and evenly.
4. When the exhalation has been done, pause for a short time. There is no strict rule on how long you should pause, and you could determine this all by yourself. The only thing you need to do is to wait for your body telling you to inhale again. Through practice, the duration of such pause will extend gradually.
5. Notice if there is any part in your body that moves subtly, feel tight or not even moving. Put one of your hands on that area to bring your attention to that area. In time, you might sense a delicate rising and decreasing in that area, for it brings “a feeling of new life and flow” (Hackney, 1999, p. 53).
6. Continue slowing down your breath through this method. Practice this exercise daily for ten minutes, and you will be able to improve the way you breathe.
Please note that the basic technique for this breathing exercise is to exhale out your breath completely. The longer the pauses between each inhale and exhale, the more air you will breathe in. Moreover, if possible, practice “total exhalation” whenever possible, because doing this will result in strong contraction in diaphragm and abdominal muscles, the important physical parts for the function of breathing, and the chest and abdomen will automatically have the opportunity to expand themselves; such enhance the quality of your breath.
Application
(a) Lying Position:
1. Ten minutes before bedtime – Probably the best time to practice. The best thing is that you could not only relax yourself through this breathing practice, but you could also fall asleep fast.
2. Ten minutes after waking up – If you spend ten minutes to practice breathing, you will be less stressful and have more energy to get through yet another busy day.
(b) Sitting Position:
1. Ten minutes before work – Try your best to arrive at the office ten minutes earlier, and sit in front of your desk quietly or find a quiet place to do the breathing exercise.
2. Ten minutes after work – Again, sit in front of your desk quietly or find a quiet place to practice breathing before going leaving the office.
(c) Standing Position:
1. On the bus or MRT – relax you shoulders (not slumping) and close your mouth. Put one of your hands on your abdomen when you breathe in order to feel whether you are using the correct way for this exercise.
C. Discussion
Some physical therapists consider that many people have suffered or are suffering irregular breathing patterns, such as breathing too fast and / or too heavy. In additions, these kinds of irregular breathing might result in symptoms such as dizziness, pant, chest pain, fuzzy eyesight, distraction, and short of breath. If physicians do not pay enough attention to these, it will be difficult to discover what the trouble is. It is only when doctors link all the problems together that they could find out the real cause - a problematic breathing pattern.
It is common knowledge that when we feel nervous or face emergency or unexpected situations, our heartbeats will accelerate and our breath will become shorter as well. On the contrary, when we are ill, we will have weaker and shallower breath. Breathing deeper could not only increase our vital capacity, it could also help us increase our energy level, reduce our stress, stimulate digestion and relax. In the end, it helps us become healthier and happier in the long run.
[References]
Hackney, P. (1999). Breath in Making connections: Total body integration through Bartenieff Fundamentals. New York: Gordon and Breach.
[Online Resources]
Anonymous (2004). Extraordinary recuperation techniques in Martial arts: Tips & techniques (in Chinese). Available: http://cn-boxing.com/new/Article_Show.asp?ArticleID=647
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