This set of breathing exercises was developed by American doctor Andrew Weil to help people overcome insomnia and learn how to fall asleep in one minute. The technique is very simple. You need to take a comfortable sitting or lying position, if desired, you can close your eyes. Then you should press the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth, slightly open your mouth and exhale completely. Next, you need to close your mouth, inhale through your nose, counting to four, hold your breath for seven counts, and then slowly exhale with a whistle, counting to eight. This cycle, the author of the technique recommends, should be repeated three more times to achieve a calming and relaxing effect. These exercises will help you feel connected to your body, take your mind off everyday thoughts, and fall asleep faster. They are also by the Federal Budget Institution “Center for Hygienic Education of the Population” of Rospotrebnadzor.

Breathing exercises, developed by opera singer and teacher A. N. Strelnikova, are an effective method of natural restoration of impaired nasal breathing in any diseases of the respiratory system and vocal apparatus. Studies confirm the positive effect of gymnastics in the treatment of various pathologies, such as bronchial asthma or tuberculosis. It has only one contraindication — it is internal bleeding, but it necessarily requires an individual approach to each patient. The principle of breathing is as follows: during exercises, it is necessary to inhale through your nose every second — fast, active, intense, noisy. The nostrils should close at the same time. During training, not only the respiratory system is involved, but also other parts of the body: the head, neck, arms, legs, shoulder girdle, abdominal press, spine. When performing exercises, the brain is actively saturated with oxygen, which improves the functioning of the body’s functional systems, regulates metabolic processes, restores the sense of smell, trains the diaphragm, normalizes blood pressure, and increases immunity. The system consists of many exercises, and here are three examples of them:

1. “Palms up.” You need to stand up, bend your arms at the elbows and point your palms away from yourself. Next, you need to clench your hands into fists and at the same time take sharp and noisy breaths. After completing a series of eight breaths, you can rest, and then it is recommended to repeat the exercise — a total of 20 cycles.
2. “Shoulder straps.” It is necessary to put your feet a little narrower than shoulder width apart, keep your hands at waist level, and clench your palms into fists. When inhaling, you need to abruptly lower your arms, unclenching your fists, spreading your fingers and straining your hands and shoulders with maximum force. You need to do eight sets of eight times.
3. “The pump.” The legs are in the same position. You need to bend over slowly and reach your hands to the floor, but do not touch it. At the end of this movement, it is necessary to inhale noisily through the nose, and then smoothly return to the starting position. It is necessary to do eight sets of eight times.

Another name is the method of volitional elimination of deep breathing. This is a technique of breathing exercises developed by the Soviet scientist, physiologist, and clinician K. P. Buteyko for the treatment of diseases of the respiratory system and some other pathologies, such as allergies, angina pectoris, hypertension, etc. Some studies conducted by scientists from different countries have confirmed the safety and effectiveness of the technique, in particular for the treatment of asthma, hearing disorders, and weight loss, hyperventilation of the lungs, etc. However, it is worth considering other studies that have not found a positive effect of breathing exercises on lung function, asthma symptoms, or the quality of life of patients. Nevertheless, this method is widely used in various clinics, both Russian and foreign, but requires special training from a professional. All Buteyko exercises are based on holding your breath or shallow breathing. According to the author of the technique, the cause of the disease lies in a lack of carbon dioxide, so the patient’s task is to reduce the body’s need for oxygen and increase the concentration of carbon dioxide through exercise. Before you start training, you need to measure the control pause. To do this, take a regular breath and hold your breath as long as possible. If the delay was less than 20 seconds— this is bad, from 20 to 40 seconds is satisfactory, from 40 seconds to one minute is good, over one minute is excellent. Next, you need to sit on a chair, straighten your back and look slightly above the eye line. It is necessary to start breathing in such a way that the inhale is two seconds, exhale is four seconds and the delay is four seconds. Breathing should be light and noiseless, and there should be a feeling of lack of air in the chest. In this state, as recommended by the author of the technique, you need to stay for 10-15 minutes.

This technique is aimed at combating excess weight, loose skin and wrinkles. Gymnastics, developed by American housewife Greer Childers and has become popular in the USA, Russia and other countries, has no age restrictions, and also contains simple exercises that do not require much time. Bodyflex combines aerobic breathing and stretching. As a result, the body is saturated with oxygen, fat is burned, and muscles tighten and become elastic. Scientists from Czestochowa University of Technology (Poland) A study was conducted among overweight and obese women aged 36 to 63 years. The participants had to study for one month using the bodyflex method. As a result of training, all women showed significant weight loss and a reduction in waist and hip circumference. Breathing training begins this way: you need to bend forward a little, bend your legs slightly at the knees and rest your palms on them (2-3 centimeters above your knees), and set your buttocks back. Next, five-step breathing:

1. Exhale. Squeeze your lips into a tube, slowly and evenly release all the air from your lungs to the end.
2. Breath. Inhale sharply and quickly through your nose with a noise and try to fill your lungs with air to capacity.
3. Exhale. Raise your head up to 45 degrees, press your lips together as if you need to smear lipstick, exhale air from your diaphragm through your mouth with all your might (the sound should be similar to “groin”).
4. Holding your breath. To do this, tilt your head forward and make a sharp turn of the abdomen under the rib arch for 8-10 seconds.
5. Take a breath, at the same time lower your abdominal muscles and relax.

Wim Hof is a man who can withstand extremely cold temperatures, who has conquered Mount Everest and Kilimanjaro in only shorts and sneakers, is listed in the Guinness Book of Records and received the nickname “ice man” due to his abilities. According to him, he was able to achieve such success with the help of a special breathing practice that helps him consciously control the body’s immune system, which allows him to resist any diseases, including cancer. The researchers conducted experiments to find out how Wim Hof’s breathing technique helps the body cope with cold and other stressors. They found out that it allows the brain to “take control of the body.”: activate areas of the brain that relieve pain, reduce anxiety, and raise body temperature. Scientists have also shown that breathing exercises activate the immune system, suppress inflammatory processes in the body and weaken the course of the disease. Research is currently underway on how the technique affects metabolic rate, brain activity, stress tolerance, and mental health. Before you start training, you need to take a comfortable position, make sure that you can breathe in and out freely. Then you should warm up: inhale deeply until there is a feeling of pressure on the solar plexus, hold, and then exhale completely. Repeat the cycle 15 times. Then you can proceed to the exercises. They are presented in the video tutorial.

This method was described by the American expert Stephen Elliott in the book “The New Science of Breathing”, who studied in detail various breathing techniques in India and China. Coherent breathing is conscious, measured breathing with a frequency of about five respiratory movements per minute, which, according to the author, can help you feel better within 5-10 minutes. First you need to relax your neck and shoulders. It is necessary to inhale through the nose, smoothly and slowly, so that the stomach rises and the chest remains stationary. Exhale slowly, too, counting to five and trying to empty your lungs as much as possible. Exhaling should be as calm as inhaling, equal in time. As a result of numerous studies, it has been shown that calm, even breathing relieves tension and improves mood. In particular, American scientists have proven that coherent breathing reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety and enhances positive feelings.

— Rhythmic breathing technique developed by yogi Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and based on performing different types of breathing. First, you need to sit on a chair or on the floor, leaning against the wall, make sure that your back has good support. Next, slowly and deeply inhale the air for five counts, and then exhale for the same amount. Repeat 10 times. Then you need to speed up your breathing: inhale and exhale at three counts. Also repeat 10 times. After that, inhale even faster, filling your lungs at the count of one, and then exhale sharply. Repeat 15 times. Then you should return to slow breathing again and repeat the entire cycle two more times. At the end of the exercises, lie down on the floor and restore normal breathing in 1-2 minutes. Various studies have shown that sudarshan kriya is very effective for treating depressive disorders, and can also be a good addition to treating stress, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other stress-related illnesses. The practice has a healing effect on the heart due to the improvement of some CVD markers. In addition, there is evidence that practitioners slow down the process of oxidative stress, improve immunity, hormonal status, and cognitive function.

This is a method in transpersonal psychology that involves hyperventilating the lungs due to rapid breathing. Due to this, carbon dioxide is washed out of the body, narrowing of the cerebral vessels, inhibition in the cerebral cortex and activation of the subcortex, which causes a feeling of euphoria and an altered state of consciousness. The technique was developed by psychologists Stanislav and Kristina Grof to replace LSD therapy (it is believed that the experiences gained from a holotropic breathing session are similar to the effect of LSD). The practice combines accelerated breathing, special music, as well as certain suggestions from a leading specialist. Her goal is to dive into the subconscious, discover deep—seated traumas, conflicts and free herself from them. There is scientific evidence that holotropic breathing has positive effects, but there are few of them. In particular, Danish scientists have demonstrated that this technique causes beneficial changes in human temperament, affects character, increasing self-awareness, confidence and responsibility. Researchers from the University of Dusseldorf claim that this method can teach a person to consciously remove pain. There are also studies on the use of holotropic breathwork in the treatment of chronic alcoholism. The technique is as follows: the first 5-10 minutes of slow and deep breathing, the next 40-60 minutes — deep intense, the remaining 20 minutes — slow shallow. Finish and return to normal breathing. Holotropic breathwork should be considered as an ambiguous phenomenon that is widely criticized. It also has a number of contraindications and cannot be used for a long time. Participation in such a practice is possible for people who do not have serious health problems, and only under the supervision of an experienced instructor. *Breathing exercises have contraindications: for example, they are not suitable for people with hypertension, heart attack, acute respiratory viral infections and some other pathologies. They can also cause side effects, including pressure and temperature spikes, sleep disorders, heart problems, oxygen starvation, chest pain, and others. It is necessary to consult with your doctor and choose a block of exercises that will suit you personally. See also “Traditional breathing practices for health and longevity” Photo: www.psychologos.ru