OK, yet again, you think I am going totally insane. How can the way you breathe kill you?
Well, unless you stop breathing you aren’t going to die on the spot. However, breathing incorrectly will make you far more likely to feel tired, develop illness and die younger.
Breathing, if you aren’t aware is more complex than just inhaling and exhaling. You can breathe too slowly too fast, too shallow, and your breathing can be affected by your airways and you can also use the wrong muscles to breathe.
Today, I will just focus on the rate of breathing. Most people today are very busy and stressed due to busy work and family commitments and take little time to relax. When we are stressed we tend to breathe quicker than normal. A faster breath rate causes an increase in acid levels in the body which upsets the delicate balance of pH levels in the body.
When certain systems fall outside of normal ranges, disease can manifest. It is interesting that diseases have been said to be caused by a breathing dysfunction in 75% of cases and 75% of diseases are said to be stress related. Is their a link here? Maybe.
What you can do is be aware of your breath and perhaps take time out each day to focus on your breath. Whether it is 10 minutes per day or 30 seconds every 30 minutes, you will notice the difference. If you ask anyone who has performed meditation, yoga, tai chi or qi gong, they will all tell you how uplifting, energetic and relaxed they feel after a session. Why not give it a try?
Stay tuned for more on breathing!