Breathwork meditation has positive implications on health and well-being when practiced on a consistent basis. Even 5-10 minutes a day can do wonders for reducing stress and increasing self-awareness. Read on for two simple breathwork techniques that you can consider experimenting with and even adding to your daily morning practice.

Breathwork is a calming form of meditation which can be used to create more joy and pacify heightened anxiety. It’s also an excellent tool to increase self-awareness, allowing you to become more present in the here and now. Below I will take you through two simple breathing techniques. Try them both and take note of how you feel before, during and after. Either practice is a great segue into meditation if you tend to have difficulty stilling your mind. Before sitting down to practice, it helps to get clear on your intentions and what you’d like to accomplish with your breathwork.

EXERCISE 1: Sit in a comfortable, seated position, resting one hand on your heart and the other on your belly. Close your eyes and begin to notice each breath you take. Follow the inhale through your nose. Feel your belly expand and your lungs fill with air. As you slowly exhale, follow the release of the air through your nose. Feel your belly flatten and your chest contract. As you repeat this mindful breathing exercise for a few minutes, notice your body.

EXERCISE 2: This second variation is called Nadi Shodhana – Alternate Nostril Breathing. Try to hold off on this one if you’re experiencing sinus issues. Again, you’re going to want to sit in a comfortable, seated position. Your left hand can rest on your leg. With your right hand, make a fist, remove you thumb, ring, and pinky fingers and gently place your thumb and ring fingers over your nostril flairs. This hand position is called Vishnu Mudra, or Universal Balance Gesture. Inhale through both nostrils, gently close the right nostril with the thumb and exhale through the left nostril. Inhale deeply through the left, switch fingers, closing the left nostril with the ring finger and exhaling through the right nostril. Inhale through the right nostril and switch. Continue to repeat, eventually allowing your exhale to be slightly longer than your inhale. With each inhale, pause slightly at the top before exhaling.

There are many health benefits of meditation, including links to an improvement in brain function when practicing alternate nostril breathing. This is based on equal amounts of oxygen going to both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. In addition, these practices reduce stress and improve cardiovascular function. Below are some more specific health benefits I discovered through IIN based on scientific research and links.

• Improvements to brain function include:

  • Can reverse the thinning of the Prefrontal Cortex (part of your brain responsible for cognitive function) that naturally thins with age.

  • Positive effects on the density and structure of the Posterior Cingulate Cortex (PCC), the part of the brain associated with creativity and self-reflection.

  • Reducing the density of the Amygdala, which tends to grow in density and structure with stress. This part of the brain is associated with experiencing emotions.

  • Can impact the Hippocampus, associated with memory and navigation. Stress causes this portion of the brain to shrink, but meditation can help to maintain the size, thus promoting mental resilience.

• Strengthens immune system

• Can lower blood pressure by helping to dilate the blood vessels and improving blood flow.

• Mindfulness practices can improve the body’s physiological response to pain in addition to one’s perception of pain

Consistency is key if you’re looking for lasting implications on your health and well-being. Practicing as little as 5-10 minutes each day will get you better results than if you practice for a whole hour once or twice per week. Explore different methods and discover what works for you. If you try either of the exercises I’ve shared, let us know what comes up for you. In the meantime, leave me a comment if you want to see more posts like this one.