Get into a simple position: sitting or lying down.
Start with one-time of 5 minutes and build up to a morning and evening practice of 5-10 minutes.
IF you’re struggling with anxiety, breathlessness, or insomnia, building up to 15 minutes at night is going to really help deepen your sleep and allow your body to fully recover.
Go gently at first, and only increase the duration of air hunger when you are comfortable.
Prepare
● Sit up straight in a chair or cross-legged on the floor.
● Or lie down on your back.
● If sitting, imagine a piece of string gently pulling you up from the crown of your head.
● Place your hands on your chest and tummy or in your lap.
Method
● Observe your breath as it enters and leaves your nose.
● Feel the colder air entering your nose.
● Feel the warmer air leaving your nose.
● Begin to reduce the speed of each breath.
● Your breathing should be so quiet that the fine hairs in the nostrils do not move.
Recover and Repeat
● Breathe light for 30 seconds to create a light air hunger.
● Rest and breathe normally for 1 minute.
● Breathe light for 30 seconds.
● Rest and breathe normally for 1 minute.
● Repeat this sequence 5 times.
Optimal/Functional vs Unhealthy/Disfunctional Breathing
Unhealthy:
– Fast, Deep, Rapid breathing
– 15-20 breaths per minute
– 10-20 BOLT score (breath-hold time)
Healthy:
– Light, Gentle, Slow Inhale, Longer Exhale
– 10-12 Breaths per minute
– 30-40s BOLT score (breath-hold time)
Optimal:
– Light, Gentle, Slow Inhale, Very long slow Exhale with a slight breath hold on the exhale.
– 2-8, or 4-10, breaths per minute
– 60-180s BOLT score (breath-hold time)
Again, the objective is to create a tolerable need or hunger for air.