I’ve had a daily meditation practice for years, but over the past few months I have made it a point to practice 10-15 minutes of resonance frequency breathing in the morning before I start the day. I set a timer and count my breathing: 5 counts inhale and 5 counts exhale. Rinse and repeat until time is up.
I already knew the benefits of meditation and breathing through my yoga practice, but it wasn’t until I read the book Breath by James Nestor that I understood the physiological benefits of regular breathwork. Then I read a couple of compelling scientific studies about the health benefits of resonant frequency breathing and was convinced it was a habit I needed to incorporate into my life. Thus my morning meditation practice shifted to a morning breathwork practice.
I can honestly say that I wake up and look forward to my breathwork. It’s a familiar habit now and one that I can take with me wherever I go. Without my morning breathwork, I feel discombobulated and lack a sense of clarity for the day. After months of regularly practicing resonance frequency breathing, I’m much more aware of my breath and heart rate. I also notice that my breathing is much more relaxed during the day; I don’t hold my breath or strain to breathe.
Breathwork is also a great tool to practice at work. I host weekly “mini meditation breaks” for my customer’s employees every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. We meet on a virtual call to practice a 5 minute meditation and I utilize guided meditations available through their EAP program to lead us in practice. Not only is it calming and refreshing, but it gives us something to connect about that is not work-related.
My well-being philosophy is to start simple and practice small steps, one at a time. The simplest, most straightforward healthy habits are often the ones that make the most impact: drinking plenty of water, eating colorful vegetables and fruit, getting outside at least once per day, disconnecting from devices, and learning to be still and enjoy a moment of quiet