Breath - Balance - Beauty
How to find inner balance and outer glow through breathing
by Dr. Huong Nguyen | Editor: Dr. Sabine Nunius | March 10, 2022
I've always had a lot of energy. Sometimes even too much. As a teenager, my mother sent me to singing lessons, hoping that would contain my restless energy and channel it into creative potential. I never really had a major artistic career, but given my singing talent, that was perhaps a good thing. What my singing teacher was truly able to teach me, however, was the invigorating power of our breath.
Years later, I made the same observation in a completely different setting: during yoga. After a "moving meditation"—that is, combining movement with my own breathing rhythm—I always felt full of energy and self-affirmation. This worked even if I had previously been restless and stressed, or tired and exhausted.
The fascinating thing about it is that this effect does not only exist in my personal perception, but is based on scientifically proven biological connections.
Fact of the day
Our breath is closely connected to our autonomic nervous system . Through our breathing, we can actually influence how our nervous system reacts. A method that is as simple as it is ingenious .
OUR BREATH: MIRROR OF EMOTIONS
There is now a wealth of research on yoga and its positive effects on our nervous system. Breathing almost always plays an important role. This is because our breathing is closely connected to our autonomic nervous system.
You've probably experienced this interplay between breath and the nervous system many times in your daily life. When we're stressed and tense, we tend to breathe quickly and shallowly. Does that seem too theoretical? Then the next time you feel rushed or tense, focus your attention on your breathing. You'll almost certainly notice that this rapid, shallow breathing pattern has occurred unconsciously.
If, on the other hand, we feel calm and relaxed, our breathing deepens and slows down. You're probably familiar with this state. You'll probably also notice that our breathing no longer occurs solely in the chest area, but extends deep into the abdomen. I personally use this "calm breathing pattern" regularly to center myself and recharge my batteries with positive energy.
FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE: BALANCE THROUGH BREATH
As a fan of "clean & lean," I'd like to share a short exercise for everyday life with you today—and invite you to try it out for yourself. Who knows, maybe I can infect you with my enthusiasm for "Balance Through Breath"! It goes without saying that this will also reduce stress, boost your immune system, strengthen your overall health, and thus give your skin a glow and resilience!
A LITTLE EXERCISE FOR YOUR MICRO-BREAK
It sounds almost too simple: In extremely stressful situations, simply taking two or three deep sighs often helps. This certainly won't magically make all your problems disappear overnight. Nevertheless, a regular micro-break can work wonders in the long run. It allows us to pause for a brief moment, center ourselves, and activate our energy.
WANT SOME MORE?
Want to enhance this effect even further? These two tricks will help:
- Breathe in through your nose and pull your shoulders up as high as possible.
- Then exhale deeply through your mouth and let any weight you feel on top of you sink away. You can also drop your jaw and open your mouth wide. Don't overthink how it might look—just try it out ;).
If, for example, the image of a terribly heavy trekking backpack comes to mind—even better! Use your imagination and put down your mental backpack at the same time.
SEQUEL FOLLOWS
I look forward to deepening my knowledge of breathing with you in future stories! Until then, I wish you "happy sighs"!