The key to successful health is correct breathing. Breathing that restores energy rather than takes energy away. If you breath with an anxiety breath – that flight fight freeze breath – the one that gets you ready for action – that saps energy. You’re getting ready to fight but then nothing happens . . . Every breath is then a waste of energy.
Breathing in with a motion that causes your breath to rise, causes your heart rate to go up – on ECG that is called sinus arrhythmia (thank goodness for Google spell) . If you do abdominal breathing, your heart rate won’t go up.
Your in breath should be about 4 breaths and your out breath should be double as long. Preferably you should have a 2 count break before the in breath. So count slowly 4 in, then 6 out and 2 wait, then repeat. All the time.
How often should I practice? Well . . . how often do you breathe?
It takes many years to perfect the art of restorative breath. 90% of us breathe incorrectly.
Since I started 4 years ago to breathe correctly, my snotty sinusitis attacks requiring antibiotics – went from every 2 to 3 months – to once in the past 3 years.
Good Luck!