3011: Square Breath to Balance Your Mind and Body by Kate Hesse of Nourish Nest Breathe on Rest and Recovery

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[00:00:55] This is Optimal Health Daily. Square Breath to Balance Your Mind and Body by Kate Hess of NourishNestBreathe.com. And I'm Dr. Neil Malik. Hey there, welcome back to another episode of Optimal Health Daily. This is where I read to you from some of the best health and fitness blogs on the web. Kind of like an ongoing audiobook. And always with a bit of my commentary at the end. Alright, and with that, let's get right to today's post as we optimize your life.

[00:01:27] Square Breath to Balance Your Mind and Body by Kate Hess of NourishNestBreathe.com. One of my favorite pranayama or breathwork techniques is square breath, a variation on sama vitri. In square breath, we're not only creating a balance of equal inhales and exhales, we're also incorporating breath retention. Although it requires slightly more breath control than some of the pranayama I usually talk about, it's still a simple technique.

[00:01:57] Why I love square breath. Square breath offers the opportunity to focus on bringing balance to your body through equal measures of inhalation and exhalation. This is a great practice if you're feeling out of balance in any way. Square breath also requires just enough attention that it helps to keep your mind focused in the present moment. If you're feeling easily distracted or your mind is running a million miles a minute, this pranayama will help you refocus back into the present moment and slow your racing mind.

[00:02:27] And just like many of the pranayama I talk about, square breath is able to pull you from the sympathetic nervous system response, the fight, flight, or freeze response, into the parasympathetic nervous system response, or the rest and digest response, making this a great practice anytime you're feeling anxious or overwhelmed. Taking the pranayama off the mat. I love the lessons I've learned from this breathwork practice on finding ease with the in-between.

[00:02:56] Here's a little secret you might not know. While I deal with change well, adapting to the new normal once it's been established, I struggle with transitions, that in-between period where you're neither here nor there. With square breath, I can create a safe environment to explore those transitions. Sitting for several counts with the space between inhale and exhale and the space between exhale and inhale brings focus to the transition point.

[00:03:24] By exploring that space on the mat, I've learned that I'm safe, even if the transitions feel scary, and I can take that knowledge off the mat into my everyday life. While I sit uneasily in a time of transition, this practice helps me remember I'm safe while exploring that in-between space. Square breath step by step. To practice square breath, find a comfortable seated position and bring attention to your breath. Begin to bring balance to your breath,

[00:03:54] finding an equal count for the inhalations and exhalations. Then, begin to add the other two edges of the square. You will inhale, retain the breath, exhale, and hold out the breath. Find a balance between all four edges of the square with an equal count that's comfortable in your body. You might find that you need to shorten your inhales and exhales based on what feels comfortable for the breath retention portion of the pranayama.

[00:04:22] There should not be strain in this breath work. If you find you're struggling during any edge of the square, shorten your count by one until you reach a comfortable count for your body. Try practicing this pranayama for three to five minutes. Set a timer and allow yourself to focus on the breathing. If you struggle with keeping a consistent pace in your counting, I suggest an app like Dharma Timer Counter Light, no affiliation, just a fan,

[00:04:49] and setting the chimes to a comfortable rate for your breath. Contraindications for this breath work. While I love this pranayama, it's important to remember that we're not cookie cutter humans and what works for one person may not be right for another. Also, what's worked for you in the past might not be right for you in the present moment. If at any point you feel lightheaded, discontinue the breath work immediately and return to your normal breath pattern. Additionally, any breath work practices

[00:05:18] which require breath retention, either holding the breath in or out, are not recommended for pregnant women, those who have eye or ear problems, and those with high blood pressure. Finally, breath retention can be triggering for those who suffer from anxiety or who are working with active trauma. If this applies to you, but you would like to experiment with this breath work, I suggest you begin with just one count of breath retention at the end of the inhale and exhale for your first practice.

[00:05:48] Add in one additional count each time you practice this breath until you reach a point where you have equal counts. If at any point this practice becomes triggering, please discontinue the breath work and return to your normal breathing. You just listened to the post titled Square Breath to Balance Your Mind and Body by Kate Hess of nourishnestbreathe.com and I'll be right back with my commentary.

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[00:07:46] Visit WonderfulPistachios.com to learn more. Dr. Neil here for my commentary. I wanted to explore this idea of square breath work a bit more. I wanted to see if this breathing technique had other potential benefits. Today's author, Kate, mentioned how using square breath can help us feel more relaxed and less stressed. And in fact, this is supported by the studies I've seen. Researchers have found that this type of breath work reduced anxiety levels

[00:08:13] and improved reported quality of life. Researchers have also found other advantages like improved lung function. In this study, researchers found that lung function improved after incorporating square breath twice a day for 30 days. So, if it's safe for you to do so, give it a try and see how it makes you feel. Alright, and that'll do it for today. Don't forget, I'll be back here tomorrow for our usual Friday Q&A episode. So,

[00:08:42] definitely stay tuned for that and I'll see you there where your optimal life awaits. as well. Thank you.