How to STOP Thinking About Your Breathing

Photo by Cooper Baumgartner on Unsplash

A not so common issue when we start pranayama, breathwork, or when we simply do mindful breathing during a yoga class, is that sometimes it seems that we forget how to breathe. This can feel very uncomfortable and preoccupying. So here are a few simple tips to stop thinking about the breath and to allow it to become natural again. 

How to do Diaphragmatic Breathing: 7 Simple Exercises [with Script in PDF]

For most people, belly breathing is very easy to learn.  Diaphragmatic breathing, on the other side, requires a bit more practice.  

So in this blog, I'll share with you a sequence of simple breathing exercises that you can practice to do diaphragmatic breathing properly. 

Belly Breathing vs. Diaphragmatic Breathing: What is the Difference?

Although belly breathing is usually equated to diaphragmatic breathing, offering a long list of benefits, there are some limitations to it that are rarely known.  Belly breathing can actually be detrimental in some aspects and it does not necessarily engage the diaphragm to its full extent. 

Diaphragmatic breathing, on the other side, is not only the foundation for meditation and pranayama practices but is also crucial for our mental and physical health and even for physical performance.  So let's discover what is the difference between belly breathing and diaphragmatic breathing and which one is best.