Functional Breathing Essentials

This guided breathwork session will take you through a series of breathing techniques designed to enhance relaxation, focus, and overall well-being. You’ll start with a simple exercise to clear nasal congestion, followed by deep breathing techniques to improve posture, balance the nervous system, and promote a sense of calm. The session includes box breathing, coherent breathing, and light, slow, deep breathing to help regulate stress and enhance mindfulness. By the end, you’ll feel more grounded, centred, and in tune with your breath.

Transcript

Hello, Welcome to this guided breathwork session by Dr Charlton Lifestyle GP, Brought to you by Breathe In Health. Today we're going to explore a variety of breathing techniques to enhance your breathing energy and relaxation. Each technique serves a different purpose. Some will clear your airways, Some will build focus and balance, And others will bring in deep relaxation. First of all, Let's find a comfortable position, Relax your shoulders, Gently close your eyes. You can either do this practice sitting up with your back straight, Or you can lie down, Gently closing your eyes. Now take a deep breath in and out, And let's begin. We're going to learn how to do nose unblocking exercise. We'll start with a simple breath hold technique to clear your nasal passages. You can practice this technique whenever you have a blocked nose or congestion. We take a normal inhale through your nose, Then a relaxed exhale. Gently pinch your nose shut and hold your breath. Gently nod your head back and forth, Or sway your body side to side. Keep nodding and swaying until you feel the urge to breathe. Release your nose and inhale softly through your nose. Breathe lightly for the next few breaths. Let's repeat it again. Pinch your nose shut and hold your breath. Gently nod your head or sway side to side. When you have the feel that urge to breathe, Release your nose and breathe softly through your nose. Then go back to normal breathing for a few breaths. Let's repeat it one more time. Pinch your nose shut and hold your breath. Gently nod your head back and forth, Or sway your body side to side. When you feel the urge to breathe, Release your nose and inhale softly through your nose. Take a few gentle breaths. Hopefully now you notice your nasal passages are opening. Breathe in and out through your nose and hopefully it's less congested, Making your breathing a bit easier. Next we're going to practice superman hold or wonder woman power pose. Let's bring in some confidence and energy with posture and breath. Let's get you to sit up tall and place your hands on your lower ribcage. Inhale deeply through your nose, Feeling your body expand. Feel your ribcage expand moving outwards as you take a big breath in. When you take a breath out, Your ribcage going in. Breathing deeply in, Expanding your ribcage and breathing out, Your ribcage going in. Imagine you're a superman expanding your ribcage and a wonder woman with the ribcage going in. Notice this is deep breathing, Enhancing good posture and maintaining good deep breathing into the deep of your lungs. Hold this stance, Breathing naturally, Feeling the air going deep inside your lungs. You are now grounded, Confident and ready. Let's get ready to go into the next step of our breathing exercise. We're going to practice being body awareness. We're going to do a quick body scan. Close your eyes, Notice how your body is feeling. Slow down your breathing without the need to change it. Breathing in, Bring your focus to your forehead, Softening any tension. Now move your awareness to your jaw and now your neck muscles, Relaxing any tension. Let your shoulders be heavy, Expanding your chest as you take a breath in, Relaxing your chest as you take a breath out. Continue scanning down to your trunk and your belly, Letting them relax and be floppy. Continue scanning down to your hips and now your thighs and your feet. With each breath, Let go of any tightness. With each breath, Relax a little bit more with each exhale. Surrender your body to breathing. We're going to practice balanced breathing. We're going to inhale through your nose for four and out for four. Breathing in two, Three, Four and out two, Three, Four. In two, Three, Four and out two, Three, Four. In two, Three, Four and out two, Three, Four. This is balanced breathing, No breath holding, Continuous smooth breathing. Keep your breath gentle, Steady and controlled. Let your breath and mind be balanced. You can do this any time you feel stressed. Breathing in for four and out for four. Just a tiny bit harder is coherent breathing. Breathing in for five and out for five. Let's meet in the next exhale. Breathing in two, Three, Four, Five and out two, Three, Four, Five. In two, Three, Four, Five and out two, Three, Four, Five. In. This is coherent breathing. It makes your breathing and your heart and your brain all synchronized together, Creating inner harmony. You can do this any time you need a calm down, Even when you're stressed or when you're driving. Any time you need to connect to your breathing. Breathing in for five and out for five. We'll change it a bit, Same rhythm, But breathing in for four and out for six. Breathing in two, Three, Four, Three, Four, Five, Six. In two, Three, Four and out two, Three, Four, Five, Six. This is still coherent breathing, But the longer exhale makes you more relaxed, Slowing down your heart rate even more. Feel your body softening with each exhale. Each breath is an invitation to relax and let go. Breathing in two, Three, Four and out two, Three, Four, Five, Six. In two, Three, Four and out four, Five, Six. In. This is a good breathing exercise to do before bedtime. Any time you need a bit of relaxation to slow down your heart rate. Next, We're going to do some box breathing. Let's meet in the next exhale. Breathing in two, Three, Four and hold two, Three, Four. Out two, Three, Four and hold two, Three, Four. In two, Three, Four and hold two, Three, Four. Out two, Three, Four and hold two, Three, Four. In. In. Hold. Hold. Hold. Box breathing has a long history of calming the Marines down. When the SEAL Marines were stressed, They would do box breathing to calm themselves down. And it's a good technique to enhance focus. Any time you are stressed or before you're preparing for some presentation or some talk. You should feel more centered and focused. With each breath hold, Embrace the stillness and the quiet of your body. Well done for learning these breathing exercises. To train your breathing. To train your body to hold on to more carbon dioxide and more efficient oxygen usage. We train light breathing or invisible breathing. Your breathing can be so light and effortless that you can't even hear your breathing. We're going to breathe in slowly and out slowly. Breathing deep into your diaphragm and out deep through your nose. Imagine you reduce your breathing just a little bit by 10 percent. Even more softly than your last breath. With each breath you do a little bit more gently and a little bit softer. Imagine a feather sitting on your nostril and your feather isn't even moving. Your breathing is so light, So quiet, You're hardly breathing. Feel the stillness and the calmness. If you have a little bit of air hunger, That's okay. That's training your body to be holding on to more carbon dioxide. This enhances better oxygen use. Teach your breathing to be quieter but more powerful. The last breathing exercise we're going to incorporate it slow, Long and deep. Inhale deeply into your nose and out through your nose. Expand your ribs and your chest wall and your belly. Exhale smoothly letting go. With each breath, Taking longer, Deeper, Smaller breath and quieter. This is called LSD breathing. Long, Slow, Deep into your diaphragm. Make each breath longer and deeper, Lighter, Quieter. Feel your whole body melting into relaxation. There's no need to do anything right now other than slowly, Deeply, Quietly into your diaphragm. Embrace the calmness and relaxation. Feel your whole body melt into this relaxation. Relaxing each muscle all together. To close our session, Let's take three slow breaths. Breathing in and breathing in and breathing in and notice how you're breathing now. Notice how you're feeling. Are you more grounded, Calm and present? Before practicing this breath work with me with lots of breathing techniques. Congratulate yourself for spending time with yourself for this 15 minutes. When you're ready, Gently open your eyes. This is Dr Charlton Lifestyle GP brought to you by Breathing Health. With each day you can bring in one or more of these techniques and you'll be more grounded, More present and feeling better in yourself. Until next time, Come join me for another breath work session.