You Can’t Take Breathing for Granted.

It seems obvious, but it isn’t.

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One day, I realised I kept holding my breath.

How can that be? I hear you cry. Surely you have to breathe in and out to stay alive?

Well, of course you do.

But I discovered that when I feel tense, I hold my breath.

For someone who doesn’t count herself as a particularly anxious or easily stressed person, it was a surprise.

To have to consciously tell yourself to breathe is an odd thing.

It seems that stress can happen without us even noticing.

Through meditation, I learnt to breathe properly again and reaped the benefits. It gave me a deep sense of calm, expanded my lungs, and cleared my mind.

On a podcast, I listened to breathing expert Wim Hof.

“Doing something as simple as modifying your breathing has a direct and profound impact on your physiology.”

Now, the first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is to take three deep breaths. I inhale through my nose and exhale through my mouth.

It doesn’t sound much, but it truly makes me feel alive, calm, and ready to start the day.

Have you ever noticed your breathing patterns?

Have you tried breathing techniques? Did they work well for you?