Breathing Ex: Nasal Breathing with many Small Breath Holds

This particular technique helps to prepare your body for a tolerable feeling of breathlessness. By holding your breath for short periods of time it enables the gas Nitric Oxide (NO) to pool inside your nasal cavity, and for the gas Carbon Dioxide to slightly increase in your blood. After doing it for just a few minutes the accumulated Nitric Oxide travels from the nasal cavity to the lungs. When practicing the exercise (holding your breath for up to 5 seconds) if you experience a feeling of hunger for air it shows that the carbon dioxide is increasing in your blood which is a good sign. However, if you find the air hunger too much simply reduce the number of seconds to perhaps 4 or even 3. In due course you will be able to increase it. This exercise is ideal as a warm up to doing other breathing exercises and also great for reducing anxiety and stress, asthma symptoms and aiding breathing recovery following physical exercise. Please note that breath holds are not suitable for anyone who is pregnant. If you have health issues you may wish to consult your GP or Breath Work Practitioner to discuss the suitability of breath work for you personally.