Wednesday, January 23, 2013

BREATHING YOUR WAY TO THE HEALTHIEST YEAR EVER!

Simple breathing exercises can help you towards your goal of your healthiest year yet!

Paying attention to your breathe is a great way to stay centered, calm, and energized. The key is to breathe fully, deeply and slowly.
When  you feel stressed during the day stop and breathe deeply, you will be able to compose yourself, and allow for a pause, like a mini meditation. The ability to calm yourself will help in the control of the release of cortisol the stress hormone. As we know cortisol impedes our ability to lose weight and increases inflammation.

A simple breathing exercise that calms the nervous system and the mind is timed breathing. Your exhale should be a few counts longer than your inhale. This allows the nerves in your diaphragm to send a message to your brain to relax, there by dropping your heart rate and lowering your blood pressure. This puts your body in a state of calm.
Practice this often so this breathing becomes second nature and available when you need it.
This type of breathing is also very beneficial in promoting sleep and returning to sleep if you awake in the middle of the night.

Breathe in through your nose  for 2-4 counts, hold for 1 count, slowly breathe out through your nose for 4-8 counts, finish by holding your breath out for 1 count. Find the combination of in and out breaths that is most comfortable for you.

As a holistic health coach, I enjoy helping my clients find ways to deal with the stresses in their life, in simple ways that fit their lifestyle.
Contact me through my website www.heidi-colella.com for a free consultation on how I can help you in making this the healthiest year yet!

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