This One Thing You Do Everyday Could Define How Happy You Are - You Just Have To Do It Right

I already breathe, I am sure you do too, so what's the fuss about?

Breathing - what a wonderful thing! It's the one thing we can count on, day and night. It keeps working away, unnoticed and unannounced. It happens about 17,000 to 30,000 times a day, only showing its presence on that climb up the stairs when the stupid elevator is out of order, or on that guilt run after all those donuts and pizzas!

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But here's the thing - ever noticed how our breathing changes every time we are stressed, depressed, angry, tired, anxious, or afraid? Our breath is the doorway to how we feel. If done consciously, it can be used as a tool to alter our state of mind. By following some very basic breathing rules, we can tap into the extraordinary benefits of breathing right.

Seriously, fix your breathing. It will make you happier!

So what are these breath-taking benefits, you ask?

? Decreases stress and regulates our bodies levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.

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? Controlled breathing triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, which is linked to increased focus and calmness, and a decrease in the feeling of anxiety.

? Research suggests that when practiced consistently, controlled breathing will result in lower blood pressure and heart rate, which in turn results in less wear and tear on blood vessels.

? Reduces pain and activation of pain centres in the brain.

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? Oxygen delivery improves. When you breathe deeply and you are relaxed, fresh oxygen pours into every cell in the body. This increases the functionality of every system in the body. You will also notice improved mental concentration and physical stamina.

So what do you have to do to learn how to breathe?

Here are a few basic rules to be aware of and exercises you can practice.

Breathe through the nose

The breath should go in and out through the nose. Your nose is kind of like a factory that refines and prepares the air coming in to be used by the body as effectively as possible.

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Breathe with the diaphragm

The air you breath in through your nose should go all the way down to your belly. Your breathing muscles consist of the diaphragm and muscles in the abdomen, chest, neck and shoulders.

70-80% of the inhaling should be done by the diaphragm so that your breathing is nice and deep.

Conscious breathing

Become aware of how you breathe during different parts of the day. A practical tip for this is to let your phone alarm go off every hour or so and check your breathing each time it does. Are you breathing relaxed, rhythmically, and deeply through your nose?

Straight posture

An upright posture gives a deeper breathing where the diaphragm gets more space to work. Your thoughts and feelings are affected in a positive way and at the same time it gets easier to breathe through the nose.

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Basic breathing exercises

Belly Breathing

This is the most basic of the breathing methods we have at our disposal. It¡¯s very simple, and requires just a few steps:

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1. Sit down comfortably, or lay down on a yoga mat, depending on your personal preference.

2 Place one of your hands on your stomach, just below your rib cage. Place the second hand over your chest.

3. Breathe in deeply through your nostrils, letting your first hand be pushed out by your stomach. You should find that your chest stays stationary.

4. Breathe out through your lips, pursing them as if you were about to whistle. Gently guide the hand on your stomach inwards, helping to press out the breath.

5. Slowly repeat between 3 and 10 times.

2-1-4 breath exercise

To begin, sit still and tall somewhere comfortable. Close your eyes and begin breathing through your nose.

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Then, inhale for a count of two¡­ hold the breath in for a count of one¡­ exhale gently, counting out for four¡­ and finish by holding the breath out for a count of one. Keep your breathing even and smooth.

If the 2-4 count feels too short try increasing the breath lengths to 4 in and 6 out, or 6 in and 8 out, and so on. But if longer breaths create any anxiety, there is no need to push yourself. The most important thing is that the exhale is longer than the inhale, not the absolute length of the breath.

Alternate Nostril Breathing

1. Take a comfortable and tall seat, making sure your spine is straight and your heart is open.

2. With your right hand, bring your pointer finger and middle finger to rest between your eyebrows, lightly using them as an anchor. The fingers we¡¯ll be actively using are the thumb and ring finger.

3. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in and out through your nose.

4. Close your right nostril with your right thumb. Inhale through the left nostril slowly and steadily.

5. Close the left nostril with your ring finger so both nostrils are held closed; retain your breath at the top of the inhale for a brief pause.

6. Open your right nostril and release the breath slowly through the right side; pause briefly at the bottom of the exhale.

7. Inhale through the right side slowly.

8. Hold both nostrils closed (with ring finger and thumb).

9. Open your left nostril and release breath slowly through the left side. Pause briefly at the bottom.

10. Repeat 5-10 cycles, allowing your mind to follow your inhales and exhales.

We can¡¯t always eliminate stress from our lives, but we can learn to deal with it in a healthier way.