Breathe softly

Loud, labored breathing makes your respiratory system work too hard. In his book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, James Nestor writes: “I realized then that breathing was like rowing a boat: taking a zillion short and stilted strokes will get you where you are going, but they pale in comparison to the efficiency and speed of fewer, longer strokes.”

This week let’s try to breathe quietly and softly, even during exercise.

HOW TO: Bring your attention to your breath. Make your inhalation soft and quiet, don’t force it, don’t extend it. Then slowly let the air out, also quietly and softly. Take at least six breaths like that. Continue to do that every time you think about it during the day, and whenever you feel your breath becoming loud and labored.