About the art of breathing to improve relaxation and concentration
Written by Jan van Beek
Being aware of your breath forces you into the present moment - the key to all inner transformation. Whenever you are conscious of the breath, you are absolutely present. You may also notice that you cannot think and be aware of your breathing. Conscious breathing stops your mind.
- Eckhart Tolle
For students learning how to be in the moment and connecting to their breath can be a powerful and useful technique. Taking a little bit of time doing a simple exercise before or in the breaks of lectures can cause relaxation and improved concentration.
With great pleasure and interest I have read James Nestor's book Breath during the holidays. A book in which I gained new scientific insights about the art of breathing. For example, that not the lack of oxygen but a low carbon dioxide level influences our urge for fresh air. And that this has an evolutionary background. And it tells why it is important to breathe through your nose. Each chapter has accompanying exercises that are easy to perform and can be very effective with daily use. You breathe 25,000 times a day and if you improve this just slightly the potential is huge.
As a psychologist, during my work as a psychologist for people with burnout, I have already noticed how helpful breathing can be in the recovery process. Breathing exercises can be points of rest in the day and building blocks for new physical and mental well-being. It also often appears that mentally “ill” people have developed accelerated breathing. Bram Bakker, together with Koen de Jong, wrote the book Verademing about this. A simple test you can do at this moment, calculates the number of breaths per minute. They argue that 6-8 breaths per minute in rest is sufficient and that is what Nestor argues in his book as well. “The perfect breath is this: inhale for about 5.5 seconds, then exhale for 5.5 seconds. That's 5.5 breaths per minute with a total of about 5.5 litres of air."
The simplest exercise you can do to boost your health and mental focus is to smoothly slow down your breathing. The technique is called coherent breathing. For this you can use a simple app like paced breathing that helps visually and auditory. Inhale for 5.5 seconds and exhale for 5.5 seconds and repeat for at least 10 times. Breathing space is closer than you think!
