Do you consistently feel sleepy or out of sorts when you wake up? We all have different coping mechanisms, such as getting a cup of coffee or pushing through it to be ready for the day.
The direction of the day is simply established by how you start the morning, and it doesn’t help if it starts out difficult. Try something new the next time you wake up and breathe if you want to feel rejuvenated and refreshed in the morning!
The Value of Breathing
Breathing is your main life-giving impulse that is sometimes overlooked. Because it is a component of your autonomic nervous system, it performs its role without your knowledge throughout your life (for the most part). However, via the yogic practice of breathing techniques known as pranayama, you may put this function of your body under conscious control. These activities can help you improve your physical, mental, and spiritual health.
Martial artists, yogis, and Buddhist monks, to mention a few, have long recognized the significance of regulating one’s breath, employing a variety of breathing practices. Your mind and breath, according to Ayurveda, reflect each other. A calm mind leads to a calm breath. A tumultuous mind leads to a restless breath. The same is true for the influence of the breath on the body as a whole, and vice versa. Thus, by learning to control your breathing, you can impact both your physical and emotional feelings.
Changing your breathing patterns also restores equilibrium to your stress response system in the following ways, according to research:
- It relieves anxiety and depression.
- Improves mental focus and immune system strength
- increasing energy levels and relaxing the body.
- Reduces stress and overwhelm
The more breath awareness you can incorporate into your life, the better. However, the morning is a particularly opportune time of day to put this into effect.
The Importance of Morning Exercise
The early morning hours are unique. The air is calm and lovely, and the birds are chirping; nature is getting ready for a new day. Your neurological system is designed to respond to morning characteristics in the same way—ready for regeneration. Even if you live in the city, you can sense something pristine about this time of day. The more you tune into the energy of the morning, the better you can set the mood for the remainder of your day. Begin your day well by creating a regimen that incorporates some breathing exercises, or pranayama, to help stimulate your soul.
The Practice of Breathing
There are several sorts of pranayama exercises, each with its own set of benefits some calming, others stimulating, and so on. Which workout you use will be determined by how you feel in the morning. Here are a few examples:
- Bhastrika
- Kapalabhati
- Nadi Shodhana
- Ujjayi
In general, 5-10 minutes of pranamaya is advised in the morning and evening. If you have a morning meditation practise, it is ideal to start with pranayama. It begins to direct attention inward and decreases the mind’s fragmented ideas. When finished, it’s a smooth segue into meditation. Here are some more pointers to know:
- Before you begin, blow your nose and keep some tissues available.
- Make sure you’re in a calm, distraction-free environment.
- Avoid straining—if you feel dizzy or uncomfortable, take a break and sit quietly until you feel better.
- If you feel worried, stop exercising and take some time to relax.
- Begin with a forceful breath (bhastrika or kapalabhati), then go on to a soothing method (nadi shodhana). Make sure you take short breaks in between.
- Begin slowly, maybe with a one-minute workout for a week to enable your body to acclimate, and then work up to 5 or 10 minutes—whatever seems comfortable.
Breathing Exercise in the Morning
This is a simple workout that will get you started. It’s known as the Complete Belly Breath.
- Place one hand on your stomach and relax your abdominal muscles.
- Inhale slowly through your nose, pulling air into the bottom of your lungs. You should feel your stomach rise.
- Feel the rib cage expand outward as the breath moves upward until the collar bones lift on the same inhalation.
- Pause for a bit, then gradually exhale through your mouth from the top of your lungs to the bottom.
- Draw your belly button toward your spine at the conclusion of the exhalation, forcing any remaining air out of the bottom of the lungs.
Including a regular breathing exercise in your daily routine is one of the simplest and most effective ways to enhance your health and well-being. It is totally normal to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed at first. Give it some time, like with everything new, and it will soon become second nature.
- Would you like to share any morning routine with our readers that can help them for Healthy Living ?
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