Ann Grace Yoga, Breathing Exercises, Meditation, Relaxation, Yoga

Stay Balanced with Balancing Breath

I tend to get into my head a lot and forget to breathe, which in turn can lead to anxiety and overwhelm. Over time, if not attended to, this can develop into chronic stress!

One of my go-to self-care tools for managing my stress is taking 5 minutes to relax and breathe. As a yoga teacher, I’ve learned a lot of different breath techniques over the years, but the one I come back to again and again is Equal Parts Breath or Balancing Breath.

How to Practice Balanced Breathing / Sama Vrtti:

  1. Sit in a relaxed yet upright posture, or lie down with supports under the head and knees, if needed.
  2. Tune into the natural rhythm of your breath.
  3. Breathe into your belly – not forcefully, but focus on expanding the belly like a balloon on your inhalations.
  4. Breathe in to a count of 3 or 4 seconds, and breathe out to a count of 3 or 4 seconds. 
  5. Gradually lengthen to count to 5 or 6 seconds per inhale and exhale, if it is comfortable.
  6. Come back to your natural rhythm of breath if you need to at any time.

This simple breath exercise has been proven to improve heart rate variability, which is a measure of our resiliency to stress. Give it a try – when you’re sitting in the car, about to have a difficult conversation, when you first wake up or right before bed – your nervous system will thank you!

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