Live Whole Health Episode #165: Take 12

We often get sucked into a screen all day long—and often well into the night, too. Social media, television, streaming movies and other online temptations are a constant companion that take us out of the real world and into the virtual. In between these moments, we may take a 3-minute break here, a 4-minute break there, and maybe another 5 minutes while we wait for our coffee or tea. Unfortunately, while we are focusing on our screens, we are not paying attention to our bodies, our breath or our thoughts.

Take 12 today

There are benefits of adding mini-breaks into your day. Start here, with a full 12-minute break that will calm your mind and gently move the body. In this 12-minute video, John Kavanaugh, recreation assistant from the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, offers a series of Qigong movements and breathing practices that you can do any time during the day, or night, to restore your sense of health and peace.

If you don’t have a full 12 minutes to practice today, you can try diaphragmic breathing, also known as “deep belly breathing” anytime—even as you are scrolling your device. This breathing technique helps you focus on your diaphragm, a muscle under your lower ribcage at the base of the chest. By “training” your diaphragm to help open your lungs, you can help your body breathe more efficiently.

Diaphragmatic breathing has many benefits that can affect your entire body. It’s the basis for many meditation and relaxation techniques, which can lower your stress levels, lower your blood pressure and regulate other critical bodily processes.

Give diaphragmatic breathing it a try

Lie on your back if you can. If not, sit in a chair. Let your body relax into the ground or into the chair. Use whatever props you may want to be comfortable, such as a rolled-up blanket under your knees or behind your back. Let your eyes close or find a point to look at without straining. Place one hand over your bellybutton and one hand on your chest.

Bring attention to your breath. Observe the breath without changing it. Notice how it enters and leaves your body. Do your hands move? Does one hand move more than the other? Take a few breaths like this.

Slowly, bring more air into the lower part of your lungs. To do this, think about your belly as a balloon. When you inhale, use the air to inflate the balloon. When you exhale, think of deflating the balloon. This should make the hand on your bellybutton move up and down more than the one on your chest. Continue to take slow, deep breaths like this.

There are many benefits to relaxed breathing. It can help your body and mind become calm. It can help you deal with stress. Practicing breathing before bed can help you fall asleep. Studies show that breathing exercises can help lower blood pressure, too.

Learn more about the amazing power of the breath here.