DAY 9
WARM-UP: DIRECTING YOUR BREATH
1.
Sit or lie on your back in a relaxed position. Breathe through the nose. Take three deep breaths. Then allow your breathing to become steady and find its calm, natural rhythm.
2.
Breathe into different parts of the body, two breaths at a time. Start by breathing into the diaphragm. The abdomen rises while breathing in.
3.
Direct the breath into the chest. The chest rises while breathing in.
4.
Then, direct the breath into the sides. Feel your sides expand outward while breathing in.
5.
Send your breath to your upper back area. Feel your back rise while breathing in.
You can continue the exercise longer if it feels relaxing.
WARM-UP: STRENGTHENING THE DIAPHRAGM
1.
Gently blow air out of the lungs through your mouth.
2.
Relax your diaphragm. Once the diaphragm is relaxed the lungs are filled with air and the abdomen bulges out.
3.
Blow out the air vigorously, making a swooshing sound in three parts: “S – S – SSS”.
4.Relax the diaphragm and allow the lungs to gently fill with air. Don’t take in more air.
Repeat 10 times and breathe calmly for 20 seconds.
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Do 2 sets with 10 repetitions each.
The vagus nerve, which regulates breathing rhythm, heart rate, and blood pressure, runs across the neck and eventually passes through the diaphragm.
BREATH-HOLD EXERCISE
1.
Fill your lungs using lip-resisted breathing. First, engage your diaphragm, then expand your chest.
Take a different amount of air into your lungs for each breath-hold.
2.
Relax. Lower your shoulders and let your head rest forward naturally.
3.
Follow the exercise according to the video instructions.
If the exercise feels too difficult, you can shorten the breath-hold duration.
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Observe how different amounts of air affect the rise in carbon dioxide levels.
If the exercises start to feel too easy, you can practice breath-holding with emptier lungs or extend the duration of your breath-hold.
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Breath-holding stimulates the vagus nerve, which helps calm the body, lower blood pressure, and slow the heart rate.
