Lifestyle

5 Remarkable Importance Of Correct Breathing: Different Breathing Techniques

January 9, 2022 by Dikshi Gupta

It is quite astonishing to know that something as simple as breathing is one of the key elements that keeps us alive and well. It is an involuntary exercise that we do subconsciously and is one of the most basic functions of the human body. However, this basic function is a gigantic regulator of our mental and physical health.

There are much more benefits of proper breathing than we realize. Although many people do not know that while it is a subconscious practice that we do roughly 17,000 to 30,000 times a day, we might not be doing it right.

There are different kinds of proper breathing techniques known to increase fitness and well-being. Breathing techniques are an excellent option for people who can not practice vigorous exercising daily. Jump into the bandwagon to find more about deep breathing exercises and their benefits to the human body.

The process behind breathing

Before we guide you to correct breathing techniques, you first need to understand how the process of breathing works. When you inhale air or “Breathe,” the diaphragm in your body shrinks and moves downwards. This, in turn, gives the lungs extra room to expand and store oxidized air into its air sacs.

Then, The oxygen gets transferred into the bloodstream, and the air sacs store carbon-di-oxide from the bloodstream simultaneously. And then, the unwanted carbon-di-oxide gets expelled from the body as you exhale.

Different breathing techniques

Correct breathing increases oxygen levels in your blood, improving your digestion and keeping the stomach healthy. These exercises also help strengthen your abdominal muscles and provide higher energy levels. Here are some breathing exercises that can help you achieve a healthy and fit lifestyle.

1. Deep breathing

Deep breathing is a basic pranayama exercise that helps you stay healthy for various reasons. Deep breathing is known to increase oxygen levels in the body exponentially and helps keep the stress levels low. It helps prevent shortness of breath and allows more intake of fresh air.

Sit comfortably with your legs crossed and back supported.
Take a deep breath through your nose and allow your chest to expand.
Hold your breath for a few seconds.
Slowly breathe out through your nose.

2. Diaphragm breathing

More often than not, many people breathe with the top of their chest. However, according to many professionals and fitness professionals, using your diaphragm for breathing will give you the most results. Especially while working out, practicing correct breathing techniques like diaphragm breathing can boost your energy levels and workout performance.

Lie on your back comfortably with your knees bent and put your head on a pillow (you can also put a pillow under your knees).
Place one hand on your chest and another on your stomach, allowing you to sense your diaphragm move as you breathe.
Breathe in through your nose slowly and feel your hand pressing into your stomach while keeping the other hand perfectly still.
Exhale through your mouth while tightening your stomach muscles, keeping your upper hand perfectly still.

3. Blowing out candles

Blowing out candles is another proper breathing exercise and is also one of the most popular breathing techniques. This exercise is a great way to keep your stomach in shape and your belly toned. It is a great technique that moves your abs from a neutral position to a concave position. The steps to practice this breathing technique are simple.

Take a deep breath through your nose.
Breathe out forcefully as if you are blowing out candles.

Benefits of proper breathing

1. Reduced stress and anxiety

How you breathe is directly correlated with how you feel, your emotions, and stress levels. The connection between mind and body is still a mystery and still baffles medical experts to this day.

However, with many scientific studies, we now know that correct breathing techniques can lead to a calm mind and even uplift your emotions. This is why the essential thing to do while having anxiety or stress is to “take a deep breath.”

2. Good posture

It seems far-fetched but, correct breathing also helps facilitate a good posture. When we breathe with our chest instead of our abdomen, the neck and shoulder muscles are the ones that are doing most of the work, resulting in bad posture. Not to mention today’s hectic lifestyle, making the situation worse. Deep breathing exercises require us to sit in a comfortable upright position. And, continuous practice of these exercises can help in better posture.

3. Better physical health and performance

Correct breathing is a turning factor in sports and athletics. Whether running, boxing, or football, every sport requires exceptional stamina, endurance, health. Proper deep breathing allows the body to inhale more air at a time and enhances the oxygen percentage in the body. It allows the muscles to have an abundance of oxygen and perform much better.

4. Better sleep

As we know, correct breathing regulates optimal bodily functions, reduces stress, and helps in maintaining the heartbeat. All of these factors lead to a better and improved sleep cycle. Stress and blood pressure problems are some of the major reasons for diseases like insomnia. Proper breathing calms the mind and releases tension which improves your sleep.

4. Improves cognitive skills

A study found out that mindful breathing enables the brain to release more endorphins, creating a sense of calm and natural well-being. This, in turn, enhances the cognitive capabilities of the individual and improves concentration and focus. It allows the brain to grasp new concepts quickly and makes learning easy.

Every organ in our bodies relies on oxygen. From digestion to neural functions, every process needs the exchange of oxygen and carbon-di-oxide to function properly. Correct breathing can allow a greater sense of mental clarity, help you sleep better, facilitate digestion, enhance your immune system, and reduce anxiety levels.

You can learn more about breathing and practice from a pool of breathing techniques with our Joyscore app. Download the app to have your guide for your meditation and fitness goals.

Tips to Fall Asleep Naturally

December 4, 2019 by Jennifer Ka

Here are ways to fall asleep naturally:

1. Applying oil to the foot soles is one way to induce sleep according to Ayurveda. It grounds the person and also alleviate psychological imbalances since negative emotions can accumulate at the soles of the feet.

2. Drink a cup of warm milk or almond milk before bed. Warm milk can promote healthy tissues, balance the nervous system, and prepare the body to sleep.

3. Eat a small meal three hours before bedtime. Dinner time should actually be the smallest meal of the day and should be eaten 3 hours before you sleep so it has time to digest. Something warm like hot soup will sit well in the tummy and won’t be heavy before bedtime.

4. Turn off electronics one hour before bed. Have a detox break from your phone and television to give your eyes and body some rest from stimulation. Too much stimulation can cause a lot of stress to the system and lead to unrestful sleep.

5. Build a sleeping routine. Having regular sleeping patterns will naturally signal the body to know when to sleep. Sleeping before 10 PM and waking up before sunrise is ideal for optimum health.

6. Try a guided meditation or yoga nidra before bed. Yoga nidra takes one into deep rest that can be even better than sleep! It helps activate the relaxation response and can improve the function of our endocrine & nervous system.

Prevent and implement new habits so nothing can steal away your beauty sleep! During sleep the whole body is rejuvenated and recharged. If it cannot recharge your batteries will go low and you will eventually burn out. Make proper sleep a much needed priority on your list.

Watch the SneakPeek of JoyScore Visualization Meditation.

Can’t Fall Asleep? This is Why.

December 4, 2019 by Jennifer Ka

Having a hard time falling asleep? Join the club. The National Institute of Health estimates that about 30% of the population has sleeping problems. It is not a surprise with the overwhelming amount of stimulation from phones, television, and constant busyness of the mind to keep our nervous system out of whack.

What are the reasons why we can’t fall asleep at night?

1. Too much caffeine: Coffee is a stimulant and sometimes doesn’t take effect until 4-6 hours later; it also disrupts your circadian rhythm, which throws off your ability to fall asleep at the right time
2. Using technology before bed: Overload of electronics before bed disrupts our circadian rhythms and prevents the sleep hormone melatonin from kicking in so take an hour break before bed with a book, some nice stretches, or meditation instead
3. A heavy dinner or eating too late: Eating too late can wreak havoc not just on your belly but also your circadian rhythms, messing with your internal clock and causing weight gain
4. Stress: There are so many things that can cause us stress including pressure from work, family problems, relationships, financials, and our own health. This could be keeping us awake at night too as we overthink, worry about things are mind is chewing on, and feel fear overcome us. When we are stressed, our sympathetic system is triggered and we are in hyperarousal mode. Stress tends to cause an increase in cortisol levels or stress hormones, signaling the brain to close down certain systems to prepare for flight or fight such as digestive or immune processes. It could also mess with our melatonin levels, causing confusion for our body to when it is the right time to sleep.

Watch the SneakPeak of JoyScore Bedtime Visualization.

These are the Things you Should Take Care of Before 2020

September 27, 2019 by Marcela De Vivo

Not to alarm you, but 2020 is less than 100 days away.

Where are you on your resolutions list? Savings plan? Business endeavors?

Regardless of what you had in mind for 2019, with one quarter left, there’s still plenty of time to get things done. This is a great time to wrap things up and start new tasks. And there are several things that need to be done by the end of the year.

Here are some things that we should all have in order before starting a new decade:

Spend your FSA If you have a flexible spending account at work, now is the time to spend the money. These funds typically expire at the end of December.
Get your health in order Make sure you get in your yearly checkups with your primary care doctor, optometrist, and dentist
Clean your space Don’t limit your closet purging and mass cleanings to the spring time. Now is the perfect time to declutter and optimize your space.
Check in on your credit We are all entitled to a free credit report every year. If you haven’t gotten yours yet this year, its time to get that taken care of.
Sort out your donations If you haven’t made your donations to your favorite charity yet, you’ll want to do that soon. You only have a few months left to donate and still be able to claim them when filing your 2019 taxes.
Get your taxes ready Speaking of filing taxes, take this opportunity to start prepping for the tax season. Make your future self’s life a little easier by organizing your receipts and financial documents now.
Dust off that goals list Remember the things you wanted to get done this year? Well if you haven’t already, now is the time to do them.

If you want to make the most of 2020, make sure you close up any loose ends these last few months of 2019. Completing these tasks will ensure that you start off this next decade calmly and confidently.

Try These 5 Things for the Perfect Morning Routine

September 24, 2019 by Marcela De Vivo

How you start off your day sets the mood for the entire day. If you feel rushed and anxious in the morning, that energy will carry on throughout the rest of the day. Similarly, a calm and collected morning can help you get through the inevitable ebbs and flows of your day.

Try doing these 5 things to help keep your cool for whatever the day has in store for you.

1. Wake up early enough to get everything done We all have our checklist of things to do in the morning. If you need to make lunches, or get kids ready, be sure you allow ample time for that in your morning. Getting out of bed at the last possible second will only make you feel rushed. Making time to get it all done will help you properly pace out your day.

2. Add physical activity to your morning Not everyone is a morning person, and that is ok. Adding in a bit of light cardio in the morning is a great day to get the blood flowing and energize tired muscles. You will feel more alert after a quick jog or morning swim.

3. Eat a healthy breakfast A light and balanced breakfast will help fuel you for the day as well as improve your memory and concentration.

4. Meditate Among the various other benefits of meditation, morning meditating helps set the tone for calm for your entire day and allows you time to focus.

5. Get a full night’s rest A morning routine is easier to start and maintain when you have had a good night’s rest. You will have the focus and energy necessary to avoid hitting that snooze button.

A morning routine helps you start your day with structure and gives you direction. You’ll find that by setting the stage for better prioritizing, more effective time-management, and greater productivity, you’ll be able to navigate through your day with a bit more calmness.

5 Tips for Achieving a Good Night’s Rest

September 17, 2019 by Marcela De Vivo

We all know that a good night’s sleep is important. Not only do we feel better when we are well-rested, but we function better too. In fact, sufficient sleep plays a vital role in our mental, physical, and emotional health- not to mention our general safety and performance in our everyday lives.

So if sleep is so important, why are we constantly neglecting it? According to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions, more than a third of American adults are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis.

Its recommended that adults aged 18-60 sleep at least 7 hours each night. Are you falling short? Here are 5 tips to help get you back on track:

Get adequate sunshine exposure throughout the day Your body actually wants to help you with your sleep schedule. The body has a natural clock known as the circadian rhythm that helps you stay awake and tells your body when its time to sleep. Getting natural sunshine (or bright light) during the day helps keep your circadian rhythm healthy. This can improve your energy throughout the day and help you sleep better and longer at night.
Limit light exposure at night For the same reasons sunlight exposure during the day is important, limiting the exposure to light at night matters. This includes the blue light that is emitted from electronic devices. Try powering down 2 hours before bed to help improve your sleep quality.
Try to maintain a normal sleep schedule That circadian rhythm we discussed earlier thrives on consistency. Taking unexpected naps throughout the day or waking/going to bed at random hours is not doing your body any favors. Consistency with your sleep and waking times can help improve your long-term sleep quality.
Avoid caffeine late in the day Though a healthy intake of caffeine during the day can enhance focus and energy, its effect can make it difficult to unwind at night. Caffeine can stimulate your nervous system, which makes it difficult for your body to unwind the way it typically would at night.
Exercise during the day Exercise has numerous health benefits, and improving your sleep quality is another bonus. Sleeping can help reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and reduce anxious thoughts that may keep you awake. However, try to avoid exercising too closely to bedtime as exercise tends to increase your alertness, which would be counterproductive to falling asleep.

Ultimately, poor sleep patterns can lead to obesity, lack of productivity, mental issues, and all sorts of other problems. Focusing on getting a good night’s sleep should be made a top priority for achieving optimal well-being.