A while ago I just started doing the WIM HOF “Iceman” Method to see if I don’t get sick again. It’s a combination of breathing techniques and a cold shower exposure. Will write about my experience in another post. But if you are interested watch the video below:
Because of that I got interested in breathe in general. It’s something we do unconsciously and never really think about it, but if you do it consciously it’s a powerful free tool which everyone has. For that I watched some videos to get to know what kind of techniques exist.
The first one is about an exercise where you just:
Inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breathe for 7 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds
The second one shows an exercise where you:
Inhale through one side of the nose, hold it for 1 seconds and exhale 3 times longer through the other side. 10 Breathes. It’s good for calming you down before a meeting or it’s good for people with digestive problems before a meal.
The third one shows a technique which is called Rock ‘n’ Roll Breathe where you:
Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds and exhale for 6 and hold for 2
The fourth one shows three techniques for different situations:
Water Breathing: It’s always good. Any time you need balance in your life come back to water breathing. Inhale for 4 seconds, Exhale for 4 seconds. 10 Breathes Whisky Breathing: Put me to sleep without alcohol. Inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds. 10 Breathes Coffee Breathing: Use it sparingly. 3 rounds of 20 breathes in the morning or right before an exercise and 3 round of 20 breathes in the afternoon.
Change Your Breath, Change Your Life | Lucas Rockwood | TEDxBarcelona
And the fifth video is about a guided breathwork meditation. A good start if you want to try out meditation in combination with breathing.
Because I wanted to use breathing to calm down the best techniques which work for me is from the first video where you inhale for 4, hold for 7 and exhale for 8 seconds and the Whisky Breathing, almost the same, but without the 7 seconds of holding the breathe. I do them in combination with meditation and so far from my experience it gives me more the feeling of having lesser thoughts just because I focus on the breathe.