Breathwork post-respiratory illness
My favourite breathing exercises post-respiratory illness
Many people - at least in Europe- seem to have either covid or the flu. So I decided to share a Breathwork session that I find useful to speed up the recovery process. You can jump straight to the video link below if you prefer ;-) However, please do check with your doctor if you have fever, palpitations, if you feel dizzy or if you’re very short of breath.
Warm up.
You don’t need to spend hours warming up the body before Breathwork but it is nice to stretch a little bit. I like to do a few head circles, stretch the sides of the upper body, then twist gently before doing three ‘Yawn & smile’ (I love these). Then I lie down on my yoga mat, with the legs bent.
Awareness of the Diaphragm movements
After any respiratory illness, it’s important to restore diaphragmatic function and to first ensure we breathe properly. It’s also super relaxing to follow the wave-like motion of the upper abdomen when the diaphragm functions well.
Slowing down the exhale
I like to breathe in for 4 and out for 6 to start with. If I feel I can extend the exhale a bit more, I breathe in on a ration of 1:2, inhaling for 4 and exhaling for 8.
Adding a pause after the exhale
Once you feel better, and once you can easily breathe in & out on a ratio of 1:2, you can work on improving your breathing capacity by adding a pause after the exhale. Just pause as long as you comfortably can before coming back to your natural breath. Repeat a few times.
Voilà. I hope it helps. Please don’t hesitate to ask me if you have any questions and share with your friends. Of course, you can also join me on zoom HERE for more Breathwork classes, every Thursday morning from 8.30 to 9 am (UK time).
Click on the image to access the video.
See you on the mat
Love