Healthy U

Breathing exercises are a fundamental aspect of chair yoga practice, promoting relaxation, reducing stress, and enhancing mindfulness. Here are some simple yet effective breathing exercises suitable for chair yoga:

1. Deep Belly Breathing (Diaphragmatic Breathing):
   • Sit comfortably in your chair with your feet flat on the ground and your hands resting on your knees or thighs.
   • Close your eyes if comfortable, and begin to inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to expand fully.
   • Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth, feeling your belly gently contract.
   • Repeat this deep breathing pattern for several rounds, focusing on the sensation of the breath moving in and out of your body.
2. 4-7-8 Breathing:
   • Sit comfortably in your chair and place your hands on your knees or thighs.
   • Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of 4 seconds, feeling your belly expand.
   • Hold your breath for a count of 7 seconds.
   • Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth for a count of 8 seconds, allowing your belly to deflate.
   • Repeat this cycle several times, maintaining a smooth and steady rhythm.
3. Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana):
   • Sit comfortably in your chair with your spine tall and your shoulders relaxed.
   • Place your left hand on your left knee or thigh, palm facing up, or in a mudra position (thumb and index finger touching).
   • Use your right hand to bring your index and middle fingers to rest between your eyebrows.
   • Close your right nostril with your right thumb and inhale deeply through your left nostril.
   • Close your left nostril with your right ring finger, release your thumb from the right nostril, and exhale fully through the right nostril.
   • Inhale deeply through the right nostril, then close it with your thumb and exhale through the left nostril.
   • Continue this pattern, alternating nostrils with each breath, for several rounds, focusing on the smooth transition between inhales and exhales.
4. Square Breathing:
   • Sit comfortably in your chair and relax your shoulders.
   • Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of 4 seconds, visualizing the first side of a square.
   • Hold your breath for a count of 4 seconds, visualizing the second side of the square.
   • Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth for a count of 4 seconds, completing the third side of the square.
   • Hold your breath out for a count of 4 seconds, visualizing the fourth side of the square.
   • Repeat this square breathing pattern for several rounds, maintaining a steady pace and focusing on the imagery of the square.

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