Breathe!

Many years ago, I watched a Ted Talk called Shut Your Mouth and Change Your Life by Patrick McKeown. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBqGS-vEIs0 ) I started thinking more about breath, mouth breathing and I practiced some of the techniques he mentioned. Last summer during my Covid reading spree I read Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor. ( https://www.mrjamesnestor.com/breath/ ) Shortly after that, there was a series of articles in the NYT about breath which included breathing techniques and exercises. I may have sent these articles out to you (James Nestor is mentioned in these articles). All of this attention to breath sparked my interest in breathing (before then I didn’t breathe) and how it relates to stress, exercise and over all health.

Of course, we know that BREATH is life, but what a lot of us don’t realize is how breath affects our life. According to Dana Santas, (CNN Health Contributor whose article I have linked to this blog) , “Breathing plays a vital role in how you think, feel, rest and recover, and it even impacts your posture and movement.” How we breathe affects us at a cellular level. Changing the way we breathe can influence weight, athletic performance, allergies, asthma, snoring, mood, stress, and focus to name a few. Proper breathing is a key in weight training and cardiovascular conditioning, as well as yoga. In Dana’s article she talks about how she works with high level athletes whose performance is improved through better breathing techniques. Good breathing technique can assist in stress relief the same way improper breathing can create more stress in our body.

The first step in good breathing is to close your mouth. Breathing in and out of the nose filters and warms the air. It helps us takes fuller, deeper breaths. If you suffer from nasal congestion (almost 40 percent of people do) the first step is to clear that congestion. Neti pots, some essential oils and saline sprays can be helpful in clearing congestion. And of course, there are nose clearing techniques!

Take some DEEP breaths. The average person only uses 10 percent of the diaphragm. Shallow breathing puts stress into our neck and shoulders and can even keep us in a constant state of low level stress. Lie on your back, place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Breathe deeply in and out. Feel the belly rise and fall. Your chest should barely move. Practice this lying down until you feel comfortable and then move to sitting and standing.

Stand Up Straight. Poor posture restricts the diaphragm. Regularly stretch your chest muscles, upper back muscles and neck muscles regularly to improve your posture. We have pictures of these stretches on our website, but ALWAYS check with your trainer about how to stretch to improve your posture and breath.

James Nestor and the NYT article both include more techniques to enhance better breathing. Dana Santas from CNN will be writing a four part article on Breath.

I have attached the NYT article here, as well as the CNN newsletter. Don’t take your breathing for granted!

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/18/at-home/coronavirus-breathing-exercises.html

https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/16/health/breathing-better-training-wellness/index.html?utm_source=Six+Minute+Mile&utm_campaign=ff19bee771-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_07_28_03_29_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6e5b2f993e-ff19bee771-12246186

WEEK 7: Text Necks & Zoom Butts

Happy Monday!

Today is a beautiful day here in Northern Virginia. The kind that makes you forget we are under quarantine and just want to go out. But, we still need to stay home to keep everyone safe. Soon, soon, soon..

Speaking of health, a few things have been coming up in conversation with my virtual clients. One of those is increased neck pain and complaints of sciatica and general hip, glute and low back tightness. Many of us, even those of us who had desk jobs before, are spending increasing time looking at a screen and SITTING! Paulo and myself included. There are a few things we need to do to counteract our increased dependency on our screens.

1. Change your positions frequently. Sit for one meeting, stand for another, walk around your house or your yard while you are on a phone call. If you have a stationary piece of equipment (treadmill or bike, e.g.) pedal or walk slowly while on your call. Our desks at work are usually ergonomic but not always so at home.

2. Try to set up a standing desk (even a make shift…see Paulo’s photo!) and avoid sitting on hard chairs with no cushion.

3. When you do sit, make sure you sit straight, trying not to cross your legs. Set up your screen so you can hold your head as straight as possible.

4. MOVE! Try to take a walk daily, do some squats, reach side to side. Step side to side while reaching the arms out. Roll the shoulders forward and back. On our website there is a great “wake up the body” video. (https://www.arlingtonpersonalfitness.com/videos)

5. STRETCH. Take breaks and stretch out the upper body. Reach back and open the chest. Take the ear to the shoulder. Put your hands on a desk or counter and drop your chest to stretch your shoulders. Lie on the floor with a towel rolled under your neck to let your neck muscles relax. Stretch your glutes & hamstrings frequently. (Glutes: cross your ankle on your knee and hinge your upper body forward. Hamstrings: prop your heel up on a step and lean your upper body toward the heel. ) There are also pictures of stretches on our website. (https://www.arlingtonpersonalfitness.com/videos) If you need a few more examples, just let us know. Our Monday 8:30 am Virtual Core Class is a great way to get your body moving to start the week.

I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. In the wise words of Cleo Wade:

May all of your vibes say: I got this.