STRONG Idea: Just Breathe
By Emily Stapleton on March 04, 2013 from Strong Ideas
Take a deep breath in through your nose and feel your abdomen expand. Hold in the air inside your body for a few seconds. Then release the air through your mouth and feel your abdomen shrink. As an added bonus, think about contracting your stomach muscles and pulling your belly button in as the air exits your body. Pretty simple, right?
• Relax injured and tight muscles
• Relieve anxiety
• Speed recovery of muscles during the cool-down phase of exercise
• Relieve tension
• Relieve physical pain
• Aid weight loss – proper oxygen intake helps the body burn calories
• And much more
Try taking 5 to 10 deep breaths when you are trying to relax. I do this most nights when I lay down to go to sleep. In addition, anytime you feel yourself getting stressed, stop and take 2 deep breaths. I am the mother of three children and a small business owner, I use this one A LOT. When you are exercising, try taking deep breaths during the cool-down phase. I use this with my own workouts and when I teach others. I love to feel my heart rate begin to recover and am always amazed at how much more flexible my muscles are during a deep breath.
Emily
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