Being sleep-deprived, coupled with high levels of stress to perform the best both on and off the field, are common among college athletes.
The breath mirrors this continual feeling of anxiety and exhaustion. It's how an unhealthy breath pattern turns into the default setting. Unhealthy breathing negatively affects all the systems of the body.
The mind responds to this inner chaos by being busy, scattered, confused, doubtful, and worried.
The feeling in the body feeds the quality of the mind. At a critical moment when you need your mind to work for you, the request is denied because the scattered and confused mind has been fueled by unhealthy breathing.
Here is a key fact: how you breathe is how you experience life. How can you embrace this fact so that you become more in charge of your overall mental well-being?
Training the breath begins with strengthening the diaphragm and learning how to redirect the breath to be centered in the abdominal region. Abdominal breathing relaxes the upper chest and a stronger diaphragm increases the elasticity of the muscle, making it easier to breathe effortlessly deep.
When the breath naturally becomes smooth, balanced, and circular, the nervous system activates the rest and digest state. Healthy breath recalibrates the body to a state of ease, making the mind clearer, calmer, and more tranquil. The body signals to the mind how to behave. The breath is the gateway to cultivating a steady and stable mind.
Breath training is the foundation for a body and mind that can thrive under stress.
The key benefits of healthy breathing:
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© 2022 Joe Somodi